The Winds of the Past
by Halcyon Eve
Summary: Torn between two lovers coming to terms with their pasts, a young warrior must eventually deal with her own lost past in order to protect her future. Based on RF4 but with some OCs. Frey is renamed Avani. The game plot provides the backdrop to the story, though I've taken some liberties. Rated M due to lemons in later chapters. Note new schedule, updates MWF. Please R&R, thanks!
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** Thank you for stopping by to check out my story! This will be a fairly long fanfiction, so if you enjoy it, you might want to follow it so you get notified when I add a new chapter. I started off with a T rating, but I've decided to switch it to an M later on as lemons will be posted—meaning that after I've made that change, you'll have to search for it under the M filter if you haven't followed or favorited it. I plan to update with a new chapter every day, though of course I may have to miss a day now and again. I hope you enjoy the story! I'd love to hear what you think of the story, either in a review or a pm!

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><p>My last real memory of the time before was of <em>her<em> eyes. Glistening with tears that she refused to shed, their image was seared into my mind as I was led away. I remember nothing of the binding ceremony, other than a brief, searing pain and a blinding light. And then… I dreamt.

How long I lay bound, dreaming, I do not know. Several centuries, I believe, but I have yet to reckon the actual passage of time. She was gone by then, of course. She exists only in my memory—a memory I could not forget, would not let myself forget. It was my pleasure, my pain, my punishment for a love that had been given and not returned. I had caused young Maria so much pain, it was only fitting that I suffer, too.

I lay in a deathless dream state for many, many lifetimes. I dreamed of many things, some of which perhaps were real. I dreamed of my dear friend, Ventuswill, the Divine Wind as she was called while I lived, and perhaps those were not dreams at all. Perhaps some of her thoughts reached me, lost though I was to her. I had doubted that I would ever see my friends or family again, but I had been willing nonetheless to make my sacrifice to protect the God, as was my duty as a Dragon Priest as well as my desire as her friend.

Therefore, I was taken by surprise when I found myself waking from my long dream. At first, I was aware only of a brilliant, diffuse light, confusing my eyes, unaccustomed as they were to use. Then I felt a tugging sensation and realized I was being drawn. Turning towards the source of the pull, I saw a large portal. Bewildered and unsure what was happening, I looked around. That was when I first lay eyes on her.

Kneeling only a few paces away was a young maiden. She seemed to have only finished a battle, as she leaned heavily on a mighty sword. A shield lay at her feet, as though she had just dropped it there but a moment before. I had never seen anyone quite like her: long, flowing hair the color of the pale green sweet melons of my childhood, eyes the color of sea-green beryl, and pale golden skin like the lightest honey. She knelt there panting, blood seeping from a score of wounds, scorch marks marring her skin and clothing, her armor dented and long skirt tattered. Tears sparkled in her eyes like dewdrops in the morning sun as she looked at me. She smiled, and it was like the sun breaking free from the clouds and casting a glorious ray upon me, though the smile itself was bittersweet. "Tell them…" she said in voice that was musical despite expressing exhaustion bordering on collapse. "Tell Venti what happened here, please. And also, tell her thanks for being my friend—it was fun."

I barely had time to process that this slip of a girl was apparently a warrior and my rescuer when I was pulled into the portal, exclaiming "You…" before she vanished from sight.

I was transported to the courtyard of a stone castle. I stumbled to the ground as the portal vanished behind me. The courtyard was full of strange people, a crowd gathered as for some event. A collective gasp went up as I appeared, and when the portal vanished, the people around me cried out in shock and dismay. Someone helped me to my feet, and I looked around, leaning heavily on the man who assisted me. My body was as yet weak from years of disuse, and even standing was not yet easy.

As I tried to get my bearings, the man supporting me turned and looked me straight in the eyes, his expression fierce and his eyes desperate. "Where is Avani? Tell me what happened to her!" he cried, gripping my shoulders tightly with his powerful hands.

A handsome, aristocratic young man stepped forward, and exclaimed in a reproving voice as he placed a hand on his arm, "Dylas! Try to be calm. I know you must be worried, but your impatience will not help her." The golden-haired man turned to me, saying, "Pardon me, stranger. Are you Leon, lately of the tower of Leon Karnak?"

Surprised that this stranger would know my name, I nodded, saying, "Yes. I am Leon. Where am I, or rather, when am I? Who might you be, and how do you know my name?"

He smiled as he explained, "You are in the city of Selphia, in the kingdom of Norad. I'm afraid our calendar would be meaningless to you, as it is believed to have changed several times since your time. However, I believe that you have lain asleep in the tower of Leon Karnak for at least half a millennia, quite likely more. That can wait until later. I am Prince Arthur of Norad, and I know of you from the Lady Ventuswill, who sent our finest warrior to rescue you from the tower." His face became anxious then, as he asked, "But tell me, Leon, what of the Lady Avani? Clearly she succeeded as you stand here before us, yet she failed to return with you as promised."

"Venti… is that Lady Ventuswill? Is she really still alive?" I asked, hope rising in my chest that I had succeeded after all, that my sacrifice had not been in vain. "I'm afraid I can't tell you much. I dreamed… for centuries it would appear. Then I found myself awakening. There was bright light, and I found myself being drawn into a portal. A little ways from me was a young girl with green hair and eyes. She appeared to be wounded and beyond exhausted, and her eyes were full of sorrow. She asked me to tell Venti what had happened, but to be honest, I don't really know what transpired there."

"Yes," Arthur said, "I think you had better come to see the Lady Ventuswill now. Hang in there, Dylas. Perhaps there is still hope," he said to the distraught man assisting me.

I turned to face him, and as I looked at him, I realized that he had some unusual features. His hair was blue, and it flowed not like a man's hair, but more like a mane, with the sensitive, pricked ears of horse on either side of his face. His brooding eyes were hazel, and he wore black clothing with blue and mauve accents, and lots of straps and buckles that reminded me somewhat of a horse's tack. As we walked, I felt something brush the back of my leg, and looking back, I was surprised to see a blue horse's tail swishing back and forth in agitation.

That was when I noticed another tail… and a moment later, I realized it was _mine_. A thick, full tail, like a bushy fox's tail, only a pale silvery-blue. Then I noticed a funny sensation on my head, and reaching a hand up, I realized that I also had large fox-like ears instead of my small _human_ ears. I stumbled with surprise at this realization, and Dylas grabbed my elbow to keep me steady. He noticed my look of surprise as I gingerly felt around my ears, and said, "Yeah, man. Looks like you got them, too."

"Got what exactly?" I asked, and he gave me a small half-smile.

"We former Guardians seem to have retained some… traces of our monster forms. My hair and eyes changed color, and I've got the tail and ears and this mark on my face. Dolce doesn't seem to have acquired anything so obvious, but she woke up skilled with sewing and knitting—things that involve strings, that is. Her monster was kind of a puppet or a marionette. And Amber has butterfly wings and antennae. You've got the ears and tail and those marks on your face, at least. Don't know what else you might have kept." I opened my mouth to ask him more questions, but he shook his head, saying, "Save it for later. We're here." And with that, he opened a large, heavy door, and we stepped through.

The great hall of the castle was large with a massive opening in the ceiling above. Perched on a central dais was Venti, her green and gold scales sparkling in the morning light shining through the open roof and her colorfully feathered wings stretched out in the sun. "Leon!" she exclaimed as I entered her chamber. "It's been many, many years, my dear old friend. I'm very happy you have returned."

"Venti," I replied with a smile. "Indeed it has, or so I am told. It's good to see you. You've grown quite a bit since last I saw you."

"Well, I was still quite a young dragon in your day, you know. I'm so grateful that Avani was able to rescue you. Speaking of whom, where is she? Was she wounded? Is she being tended at the clinic?"

Dylas stepped forward, saying, "Venti, Avani didn't return! When the portal opened, only Leon came through. We don't know what became of her. She must be caught in the Forest of Beginnings. You must let me go find her!"

"The Forest of Beginnings? Didn't come back? What is going on?" Ventuswill cried.

"My lady," Arthur said as he stepped forward from behind us. "An imbalance in the runes contained within Leon Karnak created a rift of some sort, causing the interior of the tower to somehow merge with and contain the Forest of Beginnings, like a portal perhaps. To reach the Guardian Sarcophagus, Avani had to enter into and traverse the Forest. She would not have been able to return via normal means. The Alvarnan scholar, Barrett, was able to provide an artifact that should have allowed her and Leon to safely return by creating a portal to the town. But for some reason, she did not accompany him home."

Venti reared up in distress. "You allowed Avani, a mere mortal, to enter the Forest of Beginnings?" she roared. "Do you have _any_ idea what that can _do_ to a human? She must be found, and swiftly, if she still lives! Leon! Did you see her? Was she alive? Can you shed any light on this incident?"

I shook my head, saying, "I'm sorry, Venti. I saw her there, or I assume it was her—a slip of a girl with green hair and eyes and with a sword that looked much too large for her to lift. She appeared wounded, but I could not guess how badly. I only saw her for a moment. Before I was pulled into the portal, she asked me to tell you what happened there at the tower, but truthfully, I don't know. She also said to say this to you: 'Thanks for being my friend—it was fun.'"

At that, Venti keened loudly, then lashing her tail in agitation, scolded me soundly. "Show some respect, Leon, even if respect is not your forte. That 'slip of a girl' rescued you single-handedly, and she had to have defeated both your guard foxes as well as your Guardian form to do so. She is far, far stronger than she appears, both inside and out." She was quiet a moment, her head swaying a little from side to side and her eyes half-closed in concentration. "Yes," she said after a few minutes. "I sense her, or at least I sense the charm I gave to her. I will go and bring her back—if I am able. No, Dylas, you will stay here. This is something that you cannot do—that no human can do. Avani has done much for me; now it is time for me to return the favor." With that she rose up on her hind legs and, with a powerful thrust of her wings, soared up and out of the chamber.

Watching Venti vanish from sight, I suddenly felt weak and light-headed, and swaying, nearly fell against Arthur as he stood next to me. "Oh, Leon," he exclaimed, steadying me. "I am sorry. You must be exhausted. Let's get you to the clinic so the doctor can have a look at you, then we'll get you some food and get you settled. This has been quite a day for you." I nodded, smiling at the understatement.

Arthur helped me to the clinic, and leaving me in the care of the physician, Jones, he went to arrange lodging for me. The doctor was a friendly, gentle man, and he soon pronounced me fit—just in need of some rest, he said. He seemed unfazed by my unusual appearance, but then if there were others like me, he'd be accustomed to odd appearances by now. He allowed me to borrow the large mirror in his lodgings above the clinic, and I gazed in fascination at the changes wrought by my lengthy fusion. Large silvery-blue fox ears replaced my own, even retaining the small, jeweled ear-ring I had worn near the top of my left ear before. A bushy tail of the same pale fur swished behind me. I could feel them and use them, though they still felt strange to me. My hair had also changed from the ebony it had been before my transformation to the same silvery-blue shade as my fox fur. Tattoo-like markings adorned my face, all of a brilliant turquoise color except for a red dot in the center of the mark on my forehead. My skin was still the same bronzed shade as before, my eyes were still the same piercing shade of turquoise blue, and I wore the same clothing that I had worn to the sealing ceremony, even still carrying the ceremonial peacock feather fan that I had held. My appearance had definitely changed—and I found that I liked it.

Arthur had arranged for me to stay at the inn, which was run by an attractive woman named Lin Fa and her petite daughter, Xiao Pai. I thanked them and promised to repay their kindness when I was able, though they both brushed off my concerns. Soon after I was settled in my room at the inn, Dylas, despite his nearly tangible anxiety, delivered the food that Arthur had ordered for me from the restaurant down the road. I thanked him and intended to invite him in, hoping to discuss his earlier comments about other Guardians, but he dashed off without a word as soon as he'd handed the package over to me. I have to admit to wondering about this strange young girl that everyone seemed so agitated over—I could hear the tension in everyone's voices, feel it in the small groups of villagers I had passed, huddled together talking on the streets as I had made my way to the inn. But for now, I needed to eat and sleep, and so I did.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.

**Photo Attribution:** The cover image is titled "Peacock Tail Feathers - Detail" and is by Steve Walker, aka stephoto27. It may be viewed on the Flickr website, photo ID 5916248605. It is available for public use under the terms of the Creative Commons license CC BY-ND 2.0. I have not altered the image in any way, other than any resizing that may have occurred as part of the process of uploading it onto this site.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** Sorry, this chapter is a little short. The next one will be longer, though! Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy it! I'd love to hear any feedback you have, too!

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><p>I was awakened after a short sleep— I guessed no more than an hour, from the change in light—by a succession of loud cries coming from the street below. I looked out the window and saw some of the townsfolk dancing around happily and others running for the palace. I supposed that Venti had succeeded in her mission, and I decided to go and see this girl for myself.<p>

It was not difficult to find my way to the castle courtyard, since I just went with the flow of the crowd and soon arrived there. However, it was not easy to get through the crowds of people that filled it. Jubilant cries such as "She's back!" and "The Princess has returned!" filled the air, young men and women danced joyfully, and even their elders seemed inclined to join in.

At the main entrance to Venti's chamber, a grey-haired, muscular man in a palace uniform stood guard. He held a massive war hammer easily in one hand, leaning it against his shoulder. Despite his tough exterior, his eyes were noticeably moist. When I approached the door, he recognized me, saying, "Sir Leon! You're just in time. My Lady Ventuswill has returned in triumph!" And with that he noisily burst into tears as he stood aside to allow me to enter. I gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder and opened the door.

I stepped in just as my apparent savior slid down from her perch on Venti's neck. A ray of brilliant afternoon sunlight shone through the open roof onto her, enveloping her in a dazzling golden glow. She hugged Venti around her neck, holding her tightly for a moment, both apparently unaware of my silent observation. I smiled to myself, glad to see Venti looking so joyful. To see her alive and well and happy after so long made it all worthwhile. Just then, Venti turned her head a little and noticed me standing there. She actually appeared to blush a little, as she pulled away from the girl, saying, "Oh! Leon! You, ahh, surprised me. That's enough, Avani, you are quite welcome. No need to make such a fuss. This, as you are surely aware, is Leon—the first of the Guardians."

The girl turned and faced me, looking me in the eyes with a steady, direct gaze that contained not a little humor. I was uncustomarily disconcerted to find that she was no mere girl at all, but entirely woman—and a very attractive one, at that. Her slender frame made her seem more juvenile at first glance, but I now saw there was nothing child-like about the figure before me, even half-hidden by her armor as it was. I looked down at her, momentarily speechless as I made a mental adjustment, then I held out a hand to her, saying rather formally, "It would appear that I owe you my thanks. I am called Leon, lately of Leon Karnak, Dragon Priest to Ventuswill, the Divine Wind." Venti chortled at my formality, but I ignored her and continued. "Will you tell me your name?"

She removed a heavy leather gauntlet and placed an impossibly delicate hand in mine, saying with a serious look, "I am called Avani, the Acting Princess of Selphia. There is no need to thank me. I was keeping a promise to Venti. If anything, you should thank her, as well as the other Guardians, as they, too, helped to keep her alive all those centuries until you could be rescued." She looked over to Venti and then back to me, saying with a smile, "I should go. I'm sure you two have a quite a lot of catching up to do."

Feeling both mischievous and intrigued, I held on to the hand that she attempted to remove from my grasp, saying with a smile, "There's no need to leave on _my_ account."

She gave me a small smile, saying, "That's very kind. But there _is_ need to leave on _mine_." She swayed a little, closing her eyes wearily, and with a mental kick, I remembered her wounds.

I was about to offer to help her to the clinic, when Dylas burst through the chamber's entrance, a wild, desperate look on his face that quickly melted into one of palpable relief as he beheld the object of his search. He straightened up and strode into the room, attempting to appear nonchalant, and exclaimed "Avani! I see you made it back. N-not that I was _worried_ or anything…." Venti gave a loud snort, causing him to turn bright red and look away.

"Dylas!" Avani exclaimed, smiling up at the tall young man as she wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. "I'm so very glad to be back. I… I was afraid I'd never see you again. Why don't we go and leave these two to catch up? I need to get out of this armor." Again she swayed, nearly falling over this time.

Dylas caught her, saying, "Hey! You're hurt! Let's get you over to see Jones."

Leaning against him for a moment, she shook her head, saying, "I'll be fine, really. I just need some food and rest. I can heal myself once I've regained the strength to do so."

Dylas sighed, saying, "Fine. Have it your way. In that case, I'll cook you a good meal and then get you into bed." She grinned up at him mischievously, and he blushed scarlet again, snapping, "Idiot! So you can rest!"

She turned again to me, her eyes sparkling most enchantingly despite her state of exhaustion, and held out her hand to me. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Leon. I'm so very glad you're here. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance to you as you adjust to life in our village."

I took her hand and, on an impulse, kissed it, saying, "The pleasure is mine. Thank you again for coming to my rescue."

As I looked down at her weary face, it was transformed by a perfectly dazzling smile that left me speechless for the second time in less than an hour—an unprecedented occurance. "Until later, then," she replied. "Venti, I'll be in my rooms if you want me." With that, Dylas gently scooped her up in his arms—armor, weaponry, and all—and carried her away through a side door. I watched them as they departed, her arms around his neck and as she rested her head tiredly against his shoulder, until the door closed firmly behind them, the lock clicking audibly.

That's when I knew I was in trouble.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	3. Chapter 3

Over the next few days, I saw Avani quite often. She made a point of coming and talking to me, learning all about me and bringing me home-cooked meals that offered a pleasant change from dining out. She introduced me to the townsfolk and helped me to get settled into my new life. I was able to find work with Arthur as a translator, since languages long dead in this time had still been in use in mine. It was… a lonely feeling—this discovery that what had been my present was now the ancient past, half-forgotten even by the scholars in this age.

However, Avani helped dispel some of that loneliness with her frequent visits. I found that behind her pretty face was a bright intellect and a lively sense of humor, and we quickly began to enjoy a comfortable, teasing sort of friendship. I loved trying to get a rise out of her by saying outrageous things to her, and sometimes she was even able to pay me back—with interest. And although she did enjoy teasing her friends, she was also incredibly compassionate and kind-hearted. I had thought at first that her attentions to me were unique, but I soon learned that she treated me just as she had the other Guardians—indeed, as she treated everyone. She was constantly doing things to help others, showing kindness in a thousand little ways. In most people, the same actions would have branded them a busybody or a goody two-shoes, but Avani had such a gracious, generous nature that it only endeared her all the more to those around her.

A few days after my rescue, she approached me, all suited up in her newly-repaired armor, and asked how I was feeling that morning. I teased her, naturally, asking her why didn't she feel for herself? She blushed as usual, but kept her serious demeanor as she suggested that perhaps I felt ready for some physical exercise. Things were getting serious with the kingdom's aggressive neighbor to the north, she said, and she wanted to ensure that I'd be fit and ready to help if a crisis came.

I raised an eyebrow, and said, amused, "And you think _you_ are the one to train me? Well, it just so happens I'm a bit bored today, so if you want me to come along and protect you, I suppose I could accommodate your request."

She just snorted and tossed some gear to me. "Here, put this on. You'll need more than just your bare chest and clever tongue out there on the plains." I suited up, and we headed out the city gates.

Avani had provided me with some chainmail, a small shield, and a good spear. I had retained the use of some of the spells I'd learned back in my days as Dragon Priest, and I seemed to have acquired some new ones—perhaps from my fusion into a Guardian. But physically I knew I was not in peak condition after my long slumber. I determined to do my best to meet my unusual teacher's expectations. And it _would_ feel good to get back in shape again, though I was skeptical that this delicate bloom of womanhood was the one to get me there.

Oh, how wrong I was!

She pushed and pushed me that day, standing back and letting me do the fighting. She apparently was quite a fighter after all, and could use some magic spells, too. I discovered that several hours later, when during one battle against a horde of goblins, giant tortas, and weagles I was sent flying by a blast of strong wind from the large birds' wings, lying helpless with the wind knocked out of me as several goblins prepared to rush me.

Suddenly from behind me came a loud battle cry, and a blur of green and silver shot past me, sending the advancing monsters flying through the air. More than half of them were vanquished before they even hit the ground, their bodies vanishing in a flash of light as they were returned to the Forest of Beginnings. Then she called out an incantation, and I felt a powerful burst energy surging through my veins as my wounds closed and healed before my eyes. I dispatched the remainder of the enemy, and turned to her with renewed respect. "Not bad, not bad at all," I said, a little too weakly for my liking. She gave me a tight smile, then gripping my arm, she called out another incantation that transported us back to town.

We had been out for close to ten hours by this time, and I was exhausted. Seeing that I was barely able to stand, she repeated the incantation, and we were transported to her rooms in the palace. Pushing me into a chair next to a stone fireplace, disappeared through a doorway, shedding a trail of gear as she went. Soon I smelled mouth-watering fragrances, and shortly afterwards she re-emerged, carrying a tray of freshly prepared food and drink, including some of the grilled fish I particularly loved. I was surprised when all she took was a mug of some steaming, fragrant drink, pushing the tray towards me.

"Don't you eat?" I asked in surprise, as I reached for a skewer of still-sizzling squid.

"Of course. I eat _mountains_ of food. I have a really high metabolism, and I train a lot. But I ate a big meal before I came for you, and since I didn't particularly exert myself today, I'm still good. This herbal tea is all I want right now. But thanks for your concern," she replied, smiling as she blew on her steaming mug to cool it. I shrugged mentally as I dove in. She was a surprisingly good cook, though I was hungry enough that it wouldn't have mattered if she wasn't. I ate everything she brought me except for the hunk of cheese. I'd never cared for milk products—they were just too bland for me.

"By the way," she started as I finished my first squid and reached for another, "where are your foxes?"

I choked on my bite, then washed it down with a long drink of the juice she'd brought with my meal. "Say what?" I said when I'd recovered my breath.

"Your foxes. I was asking you where they were. I haven't seen them at all today."

"You… you mean you _have_ seen them before?" I said slowly, astonished.

"Of course," she replied, looking surprised by my reaction. "I do have eyes, you know."

"Most people do," I replied drily, "but _not_ the sort that can see my foxes."

She looked puzzled, saying, "What do you mean?"

"My foxes are spirits," I explained, "the spirits that inhabited the pair of fox statues set up to guard the doors into Leon Karnak where I—where Sarcophagus dwelt. As they are spirits, assigned to be my companions and guards, no one besides me can see them. At least, so I had thought… until now."

"I know they're spirits," she replied, startled, "they told me so themselves. The red one said his name was Sano, and the blue one said he was called Uno."

"Hold it," I said, even more surprised. "You mean… they _talk_ to you, too? You not only can see them, but you can talk with them?"

"Well… yeah. Is there something wrong with that? I apologize if I did something I shouldn't have," she said with a concerned look.

I shook my head. "No, it's not that. It's just… I'm not sure how it is that you can both see and talk with them. No one besides me should be able to do either, let alone both. What else do they say?"

"Not a lot. I mean, mostly just idle chatter. I did ask them once if they knew how long you'd been locked in the tower, but they don't really seem to mark the passage of time. Uno said that as they now had seven tails, they must be between six and seven centuries old, and since they were 'born' when you were locked up, that must be how long you slept there. But that was as close as they could get."

I thought for a minute as I took a bite of the chewy grilled squid. "I don't know why it is that you can communicate with them. Perhaps you have some connection with them because you conquered them, or because you defeated Sarcophagus and rescued me. I do know that they speak of you with a good deal more respect and admiration than anyone else in town, except possibly Venti," I said with a grin, remembering some of their naughtier comments. "Anyway, returning to your original question, I told them to stay in town and keep out of trouble. They're probably asleep on my bed right now. I didn't want them coming along and running off out in the wilderness. As with all foxes, they are rather prone to mischief."

Avani grinned, saying "Well, you know what they say about pets resembling their owners…."

After finishing the meal, I helped her clear the table. As she began to wash up, I asked with a grin, "So… Selphia has the good fortune to have gracing its palace a warrior Princess who also cooks, farms, forges, and cleans? Tell me, is there anything you _can't_ do?"

She grinned back at me, saying "Yep: dry the dishes. That's your job tonight," as she tossed a towel to me.

I laughed and began to dry the dishes as she washed and rinsed them. "Seriously, though. Is there _anything_ you can't do?"

She didn't answer at first, just kept washing. Then she turned to me with sorrowful eyes and replied, "Yes. I can't remember." She turned quickly back to her washing, but I caught a glimpse of a tear glittering in the corner of her eye as she did so.

"Ahh, that's right. Venti mentioned your amnesia. Well, hang in there. Your memories may come back in time," I replied.

She shook her head slowly, saying, "I don't know. It's been a year and a half, and I still haven't remembered anything from before my head injury. I don't even remember how I was hurt, other than having a sore head and being told I'd been struck with a sword. Everything before that moment when I awakened on the airship is just a blank. I don't think I'd even know my name except that as I woke, I thought I heard someone calling it. But maybe I was just dreaming it—maybe this isn't even really my name. I have no way of knowing for sure, except… it just _feels_ like my name. I respond to it when someone calls it, just as one naturally does with one's name."

"Interesting," I mused out loud. "Your name, Avani—it sounds foreign. But clearly _you_ aren't—your mastery of the language, both spoken and written, as well as your accent proves that. Perhaps one or both of your parents were foreigners. Well, if I think of anything that might be helpful, I will let you know. Until then, you seem to have carved out a nice life here in your short time: a home, plenty of work to keep you busy, good friends, and even a devoted lover. Or at least I _assume_ Dylas is your lover, from the way he behaved when you didn't return with me from Leon Karnak."

"Yes," she replied, handing me the last of the dishes. "I rescued him a little more than a year ago, and although he was cold to me at first, we gradually became friends, then after a time, lovers. Living in this town has done wonders for him. He's really opened up a lot, though he still has a ways to go."

"I'm not sure the townsfolk can take _all_ the credit there," I said softly as I handed her the dried dish and the towel.

"Hmmm? What was that? I couldn't hear you," she said, looking at me uncertainly.

"Oh, nothing. I'd better be on my way. I expect I'll sleep well tonight. Thanks for the training and the meal. I'd like to do this again, if you have the time." With that, I departed for my room at the inn, where, as I'd predicted, I did indeed sleep well.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	4. Chapter 4

Avani found me late the following morning as I fished in a canal, Dylas following close behind her. Today it seemed we would be a party of three. I didn't object—I found him entertaining. He was such an easy target, especially regarding both Avani and his arch-rival, Doug, a dwarf who evidently had moved into town only a few weeks before Avani's sudden appearance. Dylas was rather dense, but he was quite strong—and although socially awkward, his care and concern for Avani as well as others in the village was evident. Apparently he'd been training with Avani since shortly after his rescue, much as I had now begun to do, and now he was easily the strongest man in the city—stronger even than Venti's butler, who was powerful indeed. If it came down to it, he and Avani would be formidable opponents for any who considered attacking the town. And I intended, should that come to pass, to be ready to fight with them.

Dylas and I spent the next several days training, shepherded by Avani, who stood back and let us fight and only entered the fray herself if she felt that things were getting out of hand. I wondered how she managed to keep in such excellent fighting form, when she did so little fighting herself. It wasn't until later that I learned that, after returning us to town, then healing and feeding us and sending us home to our beds, she'd venture out into the wilds and work on her own training, alone and unaided against the creatures of the night.

Dylas learned about it after catching her returning well past midnight one night, and I found him scolding her in the courtyard the following morning for taking such risks—a scolding that seemed to both annoy and amuse her rather than persuade her. Although I privately agreed that it would be far wiser for her to take a companion, I also realized that doing so would present some difficulty, given her skill level compared to the rest of us. Even Forte, the Dragon Knight of Selphia, was no match for her. So as I joined them, I took her side, pointing out to Dylas that while she was certainly brave and strong, she also was not given to foolish risks as a rule, and even if she did get in over her head, she knew how to cast an Escape spell. Then I smiled my most condescending smile at him and commented that he must be completely addled by his love for her if he couldn't see that. That sidelined the discussion effectively, as Dylas turned red and sputtered embarrassed denials. Avani sighed and turned to walk back to her rooms. Dylas and I followed, he still grumbling a little. She tossed some new equipment to both of us—she'd been working on her crafting and smithing skills it seemed, though when she found the time I couldn't imagine. We suited up and headed out.

"Your skills are improving nicely," she said to me as we left the city walls behind us, "so I think today we'll attempt a more challenging workout for you. There have been reports of trouble by travelers in the vicinity of the old haunted mansion in the western plains, so we'll go clean it out and try to make the road there safer, at least for a while. You'll be facing a large number of assorted spirit monsters there, as well as spiders, slimes, shadow panthers, and finally, a marionetta—the type of monster that Dolce was bound to as Guardian. Dylas will be your backup, and I will be his. Ready?" I nodded, and at that, she took off at her normal brisk run. That was tiring in itself—running over a variety of terrains fully equipped. But it was also good for my stamina, so I didn't complain… much. I also sensed that as fast as the pace seemed to me, that she was holding back so that we didn't fall behind.

The battle was tough, but I felt I had acquitted myself well. Avani nodded her approval as I stood where the last stricken monster, the marionetta, had vanished in a column of light a moment before. She had needed to heal me a few times, and Dylas had delivered a few mighty blows himself, but I had done most of the fighting. In order to better insure the safety of travelers, we turned around and fought our way back out of the mansion and on to the town gates, planning to return to her rooms to clean up and have a late meal, as was usual after training.

However, as we approached the town's fortified wall, we could hear raised voices. Avani stopped short, her brow furrowed as she listened. "I wonder what's going on," she thought out loud, though in a low voice. "I hear Forte and Doug, but there's a third voice I don't recognize." Motioning us to keep quiet and well behind her, we silently entered the town.

In the courtyard, we saw a trio apparently having a standoff. I saw Forte confronting a stranger in a foreign armored uniform with her longsword drawn. Doug stood to one side, his own short sword drawn, looking ill at ease. The stranger was shouting at Doug, something about honoring his agreement and implying he'd been acting as a spy, when suddenly the old lady that had taken Doug in, Granny Blossom, appeared. She scolded the soldier for making wild accusations and trying to turn us against each other, shaking her cane angrily at him as she spoke.

Before any of us could react, the soldier snarled a curse and lunged with his sword drawn at the frail old woman. Doug, who had remained mostly silent in the face of the soldier's tirade, cried out and leapt between Blossom and the soldier's weapon, taking a heavy blow that knocked him to the ground. Fortunately, he was alive, though wounded and bleeding. The soldier stood over him, gloating as he said, "So, I guess you figured out that it was us that killed your tribe, not that dragon. I hadn't thought you were clever enough to see through our little ruse!"

Doug looked at him blankly, saying, "You _what_?"

The soldier laughed, replying, "Ahh, so maybe I gave you too much credit after all! Yes, _we_ exterminated your people, not Ventuswill—we told you that in order to persuade you to spy for us. Well, no matter _why_ you turned against us, you _know_ what we do with traitors!"

Avani gasped, then she leapt forward, crying out Doug's name, and, standing by Forte's side, she turned to face the stranger. To everyone's surprise, he looked at her and began to laugh. "So!" he sneered, "Somehow you survived your little fall from the airship, eh, Avani? I didn't think you were _that_ tough!"

"Who are you, and how do you know my name?" Avani asked slowly in a cold, steely voice that sent a shiver down my spine.

Unperturbed, the soldier again laughed. "Why, I was the one tasked with appropriating the Rune Sphere that you carried. My underling was the one who pushed you off the airship, although he has been… _dealt with_… for that transgression. I had hoped to gain much useful information from you, you see," he replied mockingly.

"Stop right there!" Forte interrupted before Avani could reply. "I don't know who you are or what you hope to accomplish, but you have attacked an innocent citizen of Selphia. You must now accompany me to the castle, where you will be detained to face criminal charges."

"Ha ha ha! Oh, that's rich!" the soldier guffawed. "You—detain _me_? When I hold the power of a Rune Sphere in my hands?" With that, he pulled a glowing blue orb from a pouch fastened to his belt.

Everyone gasped at the sight of the large blue stone glowing brilliantly in the night, and Avani stepped forward, asking angrily, "Where did you get that?"

"Oh, this? Why, you so kindly left these lying unattended out and about in the wilderness, so I simply helped myself. This was the last of them. Yes," he sneered as shock and horror registered on our faces and Avani quivered with barely-suppressed rage, "your poor, dear Ventuswill. She must have slipped into a deep sleep by now—one from which she will never awaken. Ah well, all good things must come to an end, even the Gods themselves. And as for you—see now, the power I hold!"

With that, he held the orb up high, and shouting an incantation, he summoned a powerful gate spell with a burst of blinding light. When the light faded, a large red dragon crouched before us, hissing angrily as it lashed its massive tail. Crying out another incantation, the soldier disappeared as he and the dragon merged. "Now! Show me what you are made of, Earthmate! For we will surely exterminate all of your kind!" he shouted in the dragon's voice.

Dylas and I leapt forward, weapons drawn, and without taking her eyes off her enemy, Avani shouted "Granny, Doug—get to safety! Now! Go! Dylas, Forte, flank him! Leon! Stand back—you are not yet strong enough for this battle, so I'm relying on you for healing and spellcasting. Stay out of his attack zone, _no matter what_! Let's go!"

As she quickly shouted her instructions, she crouched, summoning strength for her powerful longsword attack, then lunged forward in a blur as she unleashed a mighty, slashing blow that penetrated the dragon's natural armor and sent it staggering back with an enraged shriek, blood seeping from the gash across its chest and one of its forelegs dangling uselessly. She whirled and executed a series of aerial spin attacks that turned her sword into a whirlwind of devastation across the beast's back and wings, rendering it incapable of flight.

Meanwhile, Forte, who was certainly courageous but far less experienced, lunged straight for the beast's heart, despite Avani's instructions to flank it. The beast swiped its good foreleg at her, using its large claws like a massive war hammer and knocking her flying across the courtyard. She lay, stunned and gasping for air, and I quickly cast a healing spell on her. She rose to her feet, staggering slightly, and shook her head to clear it before charging again. At the same time, Dylas had been aiming a series of powerful kicks and punches at the monster's sides, preventing it from attacking effectively as it continually staggered under the barrage of blows.

As it began to weaken, the beast's head swung side to side and it hissed angrily, snapping its huge jaws at Avani and Dylas, who, despite their fatigue from the day's training and the weight of their equipment, moved too quickly for it to find purchase. I could see that Dylas was wounded, though, despite his alacrity, and Avani appeared to be slowing as well, so I cast a large healing spell that affected all three of the fighters. Then seeing the monster rear up on its hind legs, standing over Avani and opening its jaws for the attack as she fearlessly held her sword ready and crouched in preparation to lunge forward, I cast an Earth Spike that knocked the tiring beast to its side. Avani catapulted through the air, sword held high above her, and with a mighty cry, she plunged her sword deeply into the beast's neck. It bellowed in fury, shaking her off with a last frenzied effort before it succumbed to the Tamitaya spell of her weapon and vanished in a stream of light, leaving only the wounded and drained soldier behind.

I ran to Avani, who struggled to her feet, the wind knocked from her, helping her up and cast another healing spell on her before assisting Dylas, who had also been knocked flying, caught by the monster's tail as had thrashed convulsively. Forte ran to the soldier, but she, too, had been caught in the animal's final struggle and was not able to capture the soldier before he rose and fled, shrieking enraged threats of retribution and destruction as he disappeared into the night.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	5. Chapter 5

Forte, Dylas, and I all looked at each other in consternation at the soldier's escape, but before we could say anything, Avani cried out in anguish and ran towards the castle. We all followed as she burst into the castle's great hall, but we held back in the doorway, shocked by Venti's weakened appearance. "Venti!" Avani cried as she ran up to the dragon. "Venti, are you okay?"

To our relief, Venti slowly raised her head, looking at Avani with eyes that dully flickered blue and gold. "Do I _look_ okay to you?" she replied tiredly. "If so, you'd better get your eyes checked. What happened? I heard a commotion." Avani flew to her, throwing her arms around the Dragon's neck as she both laughed and cried. "Whoa, hey now!" Venti protested, though I could see that she was pleased by the display of affection. "Don't fuss so, silly human. Tell me what happened." Avani released her and gave her a brief summary of the night's events.

Venti lowered herself back down on her perch with a weary sigh. "So… the Sechs are getting more aggressive. I'm sorry I couldn't help. I feel so worn out tonight."

"But Venti, don't you see? They've stolen the Rune Spheres! That's why you're feeling weaker!" Avani exclaimed, looking distressed. "I don't know what they plan to do with them, but I feel like trouble is brewing—something big." She chewed her lip and scowled, lost in thought. "Well, whatever their plans are, I'm not going to just let them get away with this," she exclaimed fiercely. "I _will_ get those Rune Spheres back for you, Venti. I swear it!"

"Now wait just a moment!" Venti exclaimed, distressed. "What if something happens to you? You don't know what you might be up against."

"It doesn't matter, does it?" Avani replied, gently caressing the dragon's neck as she rested her forehead against it. "We all need you, and you need the Spheres. So they have to be recovered, whatever the cost. And I'm the best suited for the job—you know I am. Just hang in there, Venti. It will take time to complete my preparations. If I just go running off half-cocked, there's no way I will win."

"I'll hang in there, you foolish girl, if you promise you will return safely to me this time," the dragon replied tiredly.

"I promise. Now please get some rest and feel better. I mean, who else can I tease and argue with like I do with you? So take it easy, okay?" Avani said, leaning her cheek against Venti's head.

Venti's eyes softened as she replied, "Of course. I mean, who else but me is going to put you in your place as you so often need? And who else but you will brighten my days with your sass? Now, leave me. I need to rest…." And with that, she lowered her head and appeared to slip into slumber.

Avani slowly stepped back, so as to avoid disturbing her, then as she turned, she saw us there and flushed a little with the realization that their conversation had been overheard. She placed a finger on her lips and motioned us to follow her to her rooms. After closing the heavy door quietly behind her, Forte said she would have to inform Arthur of recent events and prepare a report for the capitol. Avani gave her a hard look and suggested that as soon as she'd spoken to Arthur, she stop in at the clinic and have Jones see to her. "The report can wait a little longer—it can't go out until tomorrow at the earliest anyway. So please, Forte, take care of yourself. We need you." Forte's expression didn't change, but her eyes were smiling as she nodded agreement and took her leave.

Avani turned to face Dylas and me. "Well, you two. Things have taken an interesting turn. I need to talk to Doug, but first things first. Are you two okay? That was quite a fight. You both did well." After reassuring herself that we were not seriously injured, she told us to get out of our armor and see to our equipment while she fixed something for us to eat.

I had not yet seen her eat any substantial amount of food, and so I had been skeptical of her claims of eating "mountains" of food, chalking it up to the usual feminine exaggeration of portion sizes. So when she brought tray after tray of food, piling food on the low table before the fireplace, I assumed she thought Dylas and I would somehow eat that much food.

Then she began to eat.

I quickly realized she had, if anything, understated her appetite. She devoured most of the food herself, even going back to fetch more trays of food. There were such large quantities that Dylas and I had plenty to eat as well, but she easily ate twice as much as the two of us together consumed. Dylas noticed me staring at her in fascination and laughed. "Never seen her really hungry before, I take it?" he said with a grin. "Yeah, it's pretty scary the first time." Avani stopped eating long enough to aim a kick at his leg that he easily avoided. "You should have seen her put it away after she rescued you—I could hardly cook food fast enough. Seriously, I don't know where she puts it. She has not a spare ounce of fat on her anywhere—I can vouch for that!"

He lowered his voice, looking at her with a fondly teasing look as he said in a stage whisper to me, "I think she has a portal in her belly and all that food is feeding the monsters of the Forest." Glaring at him, Avani threw a roll at his head. He caught it deftly out of the air and ate it, tearing off pieces of it to swipe up the swirls of assorted sauces left on his plate. "Now you just watch. She'll stuff herself silly and be hardly able to move afterwards. Then she'll lie down and sleep for, oh, about 20 minutes—maybe as much as 30 since she's fatigued, too. Then she'll wake up completely recharged and raring to go."

"Dylas! Will you stop that please? You're making me sound terrible! And after I went to the trouble to bring you your favorite foods, this is the thanks I get?" she scolded, menacing him with a skewer of grilled squid.

"Oh, and who is going to be cleaning up that huge mess I _know_ you left in the kitchen while you sleep it off?" he replied teasingly as he batted her skewer aside with a large carrot.

She threw her hands up in mock defeat before eating up her squid and turning her attention to a platter of fruit and cheese. "Leon, I'm so sorry you have to sit here trying to enjoy a delightful meal with friends while listening to this oaf cataloguing my glaring flaws. Please don't let that stop you from eating as much as you want, though—are you getting enough? There's more—I generally keep my kitchen well stocked."

I laughed, enjoying their banter—perhaps even envying it a little. "Yes, I'm getting plenty. Thanks for all the grilled seafood—you must love to fish."

She laughed, rolling her eyes in mock dismay, saying, "Well, I kind of _have_ to—if I didn't fish, I'd never see Mr. Bait-for-brains outside of training! I swear he loves fishing more than _anything_."

"Hey!" Dylas protested. "That's not true!"

"Oh?" she replied with a gleam in her eyes. "Then tell me, which do you love more—me, or fishing?" Dylas, taken off guard, sputtered and stumbled incoherently. Avani smiled a saccharine smile at him, saying, "Too late—time's up."

She finished the last bite of salad on her plate and stood up. "Well, I have to give him a _little_ credit—he's at least right about the need for a short nap after I eat like this. So if you both will excuse me. No, no—please stay. No need to leave on my account. Eat what you like, and help yourself in the kitchen," she added as I started to rise, uncertain if I should leave. "And I can wash my own dishes just as soon as I've rested. So no need to exert yourself on my account," she said to Dylas, a mixture of vexation and affection in her eyes.

She stepped over to her wardrobe, vanishing behind a decorative screen for a moment before emerging wearing a light chemise as she headed for her bed. Dylas and I finished eating, discussing the events of the day in low voices, then he went to wash up the mess, despite her protest. I gave him a hand, surprised at how quickly and efficiently he cleaned until I remembered that he worked in Porcoline's restaurant. Given that man's appetite on top of how busy the restaurant was, I felt certain that this mess was nothing in comparison. Dylas was technically a server, but I'd seen him cooking and cleaning as well, apparently willing to lend himself to whatever task lay at hand.

Afterwards, he helped himself to some more milk, heating it up until it was scalded and steaming, and offered some to me. I politely declined, saying I'd never liked dairy goods. He then offered me some tea instead, which I accepted. He also poured some juice into a glass, saying that he figured Avani would be waking soon and that she'd appreciate something refreshing. We stepped out into her main room and found her still sound asleep, curled up in her bed, looking surprisingly childlike as she slept.

Dylas set the juice and his milk on the low table before the stone fireplace in the sitting area where we'd dined earlier. He motioned me towards the chair I'd taken before, and quietly stepped over to check on Avani. He tenderly brushed some hair from where it had fallen over her closed eyes, watching her with adoring eyes. As gentle as the gesture seemed, it was enough to waken her.

She stretched, then reached her arms up to Dylas and pulled him down to her for a kiss. He pulled hastily free from her embrace, turning red and sputtering in embarrassment, and she sat up, sleepy confusion on her face. "What's wrong, Dylas? Why are you acting so shy all of a sudden?" Then she saw me sitting there and turned a little red herself. "Oh! I'm sorry, Leon. I didn't realize you were right there."

"So it would seem," I said, smiling in amusement as I sipped my tea.

She flushed a little darker, then shrugged, saying with a laugh, "Well, at least I only tried to _kiss_ you. It could have been a lot worse!"

"Idiot! Don't say things like that around other people!" Dylas hissed at her, his face scarlet.

She laughed and stood up, reaching for the ceiling in a tremendous stretch. "Ahh! I feel so much better now!" And indeed, she looked completely recovered, all evidence of hunger and fatigue erased. She drained the glass of juice that Dylas brought to her, then darted over to her wardrobe and emerged a minute later fully dressed.

"Now let me clean up the kitchen and we'll get over to see Doug," she said, heading towards the kitchen.

"We, uhh, already washed up for you while you slept. So let's just get over to the clinic and see what he has to say for himself," Dylas said, looking a little sheepish at her surprised expression. She grinned at him and pulled him over to her for a kiss, despite his embarrassed protests, and we headed out.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	6. Chapter 6

When we arrived at the clinic, the room seemed crowded with our addition. Granny Blossom, Arthur, Jones, and Jones' wife and nurse, Nancy, were all gathered there, making seven of us in total packed in around the bed. Doug was conscious, and Avani squeezed in next to his bed. "Hey, are you okay, Doug?" Avani asked as she looked him over, her eyes concerned.

"Yeah… I guess," he replied, not meeting her gaze. "I'm so sorry, though. It's all my fault. If I hadn't reported in with them… if I hadn't just blindly believed their lies…. I've caused everyone so much trouble—especially you and Venti."

She knelt next to his bed and took his hand in hers, saying, "Listen, Doug. It's okay. It isn't your fault. They manipulated you. If you're guilty of anything, it's just of being too trusting—and that's not necessarily a bad thing. So just get better, okay? You're our friend, and we'd all be devastated if anything happened to you."

"Avani… thanks." he replied, looking at her for a moment before looking away again, tears in his eyes. Avani stood up, still holding his hand in hers as she said,

"Doug… is there anything you can tell me that might help? Do you know how I can find them?"

Doug quickly looked back at her, mouth agape. Arthur exclaimed in surprise, and Granny gasped. "You can't mean… a-are you seriously…?" Doug stuttered.

"Yes," she replied. "I'm going to track them down. And I'm going to get those Rune Spheres back."

"But hold on, Avani, you don't seem to realize how risky that will be! These people are dangerous—completely ruthless!" Doug protested.

"Yes," Arthur agreed, "It certainly will be risky. Who knows what they are plotting?"

"Exactly!" Doug said, struggling to sit up. "You can't just take off like that!"

"I have to," she replied. "For the very reasons you gave to deter me, I _must_ go. We _need_ to get those Stones back. Besides," she added with a smile, though I saw a faint glitter of tears in her eyes, "I made a promise to a dear friend. So please, Doug, tell me anything you can that will help."

"Just a minute, Avani," Arthur interrupted before Doug could reply. "You aren't going. I am."

Avani whirled around to face him, shock registering on her face. "What?" she exclaimed, searching his face for any sign of jest.

"Remember, Avani, I am a Prince of the realm. Surely you haven't forgotten that?" he said, no trace of humor in his vermillion eyes.

"No, of course not, but…." Avani replied, apparently at a loss for words.

"This is my duty as Prince of Selphia. I appreciate your help in taking on the day-to-day responsibilities as Acting Princess, Avani, but there are limits as to what I will and will not ask you to do in my stead. And we have reached that limit."

Collecting herself, Avani stepped up to Arthur, and genuflecting before him, she looked up and said, "Arthur, my Lord and Prince, I implore you, allow me to do this. The Sechs have invaded our kingdom. Our town is in grave danger. Someone must inform the king. Only you can do this, as a Prince of Norad. I do not have that authority. Someone must arrange for the defense of our city. Again, you are the one who can do this—not me. I bear the title of Acting Princess only at your indulgence; I have no claim to the authority of royalty. Forte, as the Dragon Knight, is needed here to take charge of defense. I am strong—the best fighter in town; you know this is true. I can do nothing to aid Selphia and Venti but fight. So I ask you—no, I beg of you, as your subject and as your friend, let me fight. _This_ is what _I_ can do—what I _must_ do."

Arthur, startled by her impassioned petition, reached down to her and raised her up by her hand, saying with a small sigh, "These things are all true, but…."

"Please, Arthur. You're the only one who can take care of the town in this time of need. And you know you can trust me to keep my word," she said, a fiercely determined glint in her eyes.

"I see that you intend to go no matter what I say," he said, giving her an appraising look, "so I may as well give you my blessing. All right, Avani. I ask you to accept this quest on my behalf. But in return, you must give me your word that you will come home safely, whether you succeed in your mission or fail."

"I swear I will return," she replied. "It will take me a little time to prepare; I will inform you as soon as my preparations are completed."

She turned back to Doug, and asked again, "Is there anything you can tell me that might help me to find them?"

After a moment's hesitation, Doug replied, "South of the ruins of the old Water Shrine is a bridge heading west to Sercerezo Hill, the spring lands. The Sechs army established a secret research facility of some sort there. That's all I know—I don't know exactly where. But… I would expect if they are doing research there, that it's very dangerous. Who knows what they might be hiding? So please… be careful…." With that, he sank back down into his bed, utterly drained, and immediately fell into a deep sleep. Arthur, Avani, Dylas, and I all left as quietly as we could.

Once outside, Avani said, "Arthur, I'll talk to you tomorrow about our plans. For now, I think we all need some sleep." Arthur agreed and departed for his rooms.

She turned and headed back to the castle and her rooms, so lost in thought that she apparently didn't even notice us behind her until she turned to close the door behind her. She jumped slightly, then gave a half smile as she apologized for her inattentiveness. "You two should get some sleep. It looks like things are serious, and you'll need to be prepared for whatever may happen." I nodded agreement and, bidding the two of them good night, departed for my room, leaving them alone. However, several minutes later, as I walked along the street to the inn, Dylas bolted past me towards the restaurant where he shared living quarters with Porcoline and Arthur, looking preoccupied and frustrated.

The next morning as I sat at my desk poring over a scroll that I'd been commissioned to translate, Dylas burst into my room. I looked up in surprise; although he and I had established a friendly working relationship over the past several days, he had never called on me for any reason, social or otherwise. Without preamble, he said, "It's like this. Last night, I told her I want to come with her when she goes searching for the Rune Stones. I don't want her to go alone, facing who-knows-what without anyone to back her up. She did that when she went to rescue you… and I thought I'd lost her forever. I don't want anything like that to happen again. But she refused. It's the same old argument that we always have, like that time you caught us fighting over her going out to train alone at night. We're both stubborn, so when we don't see eye-to-eye… well, I guess it turns into a battle of wills, then, and we lose sight of what we're fighting over. I wish I could find a better way to persuade her, but I'm not very good with words, and all I seem to be able to do is fight."

He paced around my room for a few moments, then turned back to me, saying, "But I don't intend to give in this time. This is different—we're not talking chipsqueaks and orcs here. In fact, we don't even know _what_ we're talking. So I plan to train and get as strong as I can on my own while she makes her preparations, and then I'm going with her, whether she likes it or not."

I looked at him appraisingly, then said, "I see. Your lover must mean quite a lot to you if you are willing to risk both your life and your relationship with her for her sake."

He blushed and looked away, stammering, "Ahh, well… s-she does, b-but not only because we're lovers! I mean… she was my first real friend here, you know? For that matter, my first real friend _ever_, other than Venti. I know she rescued me because she'd been asked to deal with my Guardian form and that it didn't have anything to do with me personally. And maybe I kind of resented her for rescuing me at first—I kept thinking that I hadn't _asked_ to be saved. But… but she kept coming to see me, asking after me, wanting to get to know me no matter how much of a jerk I was to her. She never gave up; no matter how many times I walked away, she'd always find me again. And… before I knew it, I found myself looking forward to seeing her and even missing her if something kept her away. I… I found myself wanting to do better, to _be_ better—partly for myself, but mostly because I wanted to see her smile of approval. And so before I knew what had happened, we were friends. And for me, _that's_ the most important thing. I mean, the… the other's fantastic, but I know I don't really have anything to offer her in the long run. She'll probably find someone perfect for her someday, and it'll be over between us then. And I know it sounds weird, but… but I _think_ I'm okay with that. I think I'll be happy that she's happy, and I'll be glad for the time we had together. Even if it doesn't last, I'm glad to have been accepted for myself, just as I am, for once. Even though I was really self-conscious about my changed appearance, especially the… uh… horsier aspects, she never seemed put off by my appearance. Not even after… when we… uhh… well, you know. So I'll always be glad she came into my life, whether she stays with me or leaves."

I was surprised by his candid confession, given that he was normally so reticent. But I appreciated the depth of his feelings, and said, "Well, if you ask me, that sounds a lot like love. But of course, you didn't ask me."

He shot me a nervous glance, saying, "Hey, you won't tell anyone what I said, will you? Especially not her! I… I don't know why I told you all that. That's… not really like me."

I just smiled and said, "Well, remember that I was the Dragon Priest in my era. I'm accustomed to people confiding in me. So… what is it you want from me, regarding your difficulties with your lover?"

"Oh, yeah. Well, aside from me, you're probably the best choice to accompany her. So I wanted to know—do you want to join me? I mean, train with me and then follow her when she goes, whether she wants you to or not? I may not be as good a trainer as she is, but still…."

I leaned back in my chair, and looking him in the face, said "So… you're asking me if I want to risk my newly-regained life and limbs chasing after a more than capable warrior whom I hardly know to offer whatever small assistance I might be able to provide and that she almost certainly doesn't want?"

"Oh… ahh, well, when you put it like that…. Just… never mind. I don't know why I bothered," Dylas said, looking angry and disappointed as he turned to leave.

"Sounds fun," I added with a grin, and he spun back around, startled by my unexpected concurrence. "When do we begin?"

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN:** Sorry, this one's a little short-so I'll post two to make up for it! :)

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><p>Avani was kept extremely busy over the next several days, between her normal duties as Acting Princess, her farm chores, and the added pressures of planning for the defense of the town with Arthur, Forte, and Volkanon. What little free time she did have she seemed to spend improving her skills, both combat and smithing. The few occasions that I saw her over the next week or so, she looked strained and exhausted, yet she kept going, always with a cheerful smile and a kind word for everyone she met.<p>

And no matter how busy she was, she still took time to help those in need. She visited Doug at least once a day as long as he remained in the clinic, as well as after he returned home, taking him his favorite foods to cheer him up. She also took meals to Blossom, as well as continuing to bring meals to both Dylas and me as usual. She even helped Blossom out at the store, taking the time to see to any heavy lifting for the elderly woman when she dropped off her daily meal delivery or stopped in for supplies.

She also made a point of participating in the couple of festivals that came up while she was preparing for her mission, correctly surmising that it would boost everyone's spirits to see her smiling face there. Meanwhile, Dylas and I kept up our clandestine training, improving our skills as rapidly we could, pushing ourselves as hard as possible.

Very early one morning, nearly a week after the confrontation with the soldier, Dylas showed up, gear in hand, saying that Avani was preparing to leave that very morning to begin to scope out the terrain for any sign of the research facility. I groggily dressed and grabbed my gear, and we hurried over to Avani's rooms. We found her packing a bag with food and other supplies.

She looked up as we walked in, saying, "Oh, hey, guys. You're certainly up early. I was going to come and say farewell as soon as I was ready to go."

"What, so you could catch us unprepared and leave us behind?" Dylas said, angrily, dropping his gear and facing her.

"That's not…. Well, all right, maybe that _was_ why," she said, setting her bag down on the table. "Listen to me, both of you. I _have_ to do this. I made a promise that I intend to keep. But you two don't. Neither of you are obligated to join me on my quest. And I can't ask you to risk yourselves like that."

Dylas walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Now _you_ listen to _me_," he said firmly. "You made a promise and you need to keep it. Plus naturally you want to protect the town. That's cool, I respect that. But I'm coming with you, whether you ask me to or not. Not because I feel obligated, but because I _want_ to—I want to protect the town, too. And… well, it's natural to want to protect those you care about, isn't it? You can't expect me to just sit around and do nothing when everyone and everything I care about is in danger. You would never do that—you _know_ you wouldn't. So don't even think that I would."

"Dylas…." she said looking up at him with a surprised face.

"Besides," he added, "Leon and I have been training pretty hard this past week. I think you'll find we've come a long ways. Don't you think so, Leon?"

"Yes, I feel that we have both improved quite a bit," I replied.

Avani looked at me and frowned thoughtfully. "Dylas I can see taking… _maybe_. But you, Leon… I don't know. You're not as strong, nor have you been in town long enough to have developed ties like Dylas and I have. I can't see placing you in danger like this, although I admit it would be nice to have a magic-user along."

I raised an eyebrow at her and replied, "Do you doubt me? I may not have been here very long, yet I already feel quite fond of this town and many of its residents. And I've been friends with Venti longer than anyone here, don't forget. Besides, it would be boring to stay behind and let the two of you have all the fun," I added with a grin.

Avani stared hard at me for a minute, then she grinned back, saying drily, "Okay then. You both can come with me. But keep this in mind—if you get into trouble, you are to use Escape to get your hide out of there pronto. If either of you gets yourself killed, I'll never forgive you."

She grabbed her bag of food and dropped it into her refrigerator, then turned to us and said, "Well, if you're coming with me, I'd better be sure you have some better equipment. So I'll delay one more day. Spend the day preparing yourselves—from the look of it, neither of you even thought to bring food, let alone medical or camping supplies. Come back here around late afternoon or early evening and we'll see what equipment I can get my hands on for you."

"I'll, uh… I'll handle the food, since I'm not a bad cook," Dylas said, turning towards the door. "If it won't be in your way, I'll just leave my gear here. Help yourself to it if you need any of it for your smithing, okay?"

She nodded, then as he started to leave, she grabbed his arm and pulled him down for a kiss. "H-hey!" he protested, turning red.

"Just saying thanks," she replied with a grin.

"Well… I hope you don't thank _everyone_ like that," he muttered.

"Of course not!" she said, looking slightly aggravated as she gave him a push towards the door.

"And I'll gather first aid supplies and camping gear," I added with a laugh at Dylas's embarrassment and chagrin as he left.

"Thank you, Leon," she replied. "That would be great. You can look through the supplies I already have here to see what else is needed."

"What—no kiss for me?" I asked her teasingly as she turned to head towards her smithy and crafting room.

She turned and looked at me with laughter in her eyes, saying, "And if I gave you one, what would you do with it?" Then she turned and ran lightly up the stairs without waiting for my reply—which was just as well, as I had none.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN:** The second of two chapters posted today, since the first was a short one. I hope you are enjoying reading it; please feel free to leave a review and let me know what you think of it so far! :)

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><p>I looked through Avani's gear, and decided that while she was well outfitted for camping, she had nothing to spare. I'd need to get more of nearly everything to allow for the addition of Dylas and me to the party. Next I went to my room to pack up the clothing and other things I wanted to bring along and to check in on Sano and Uno. After that, I headed over to the clinic and spoke with Nancy regarding the supplies we'd need. She put together a first aid kit for us to take along, with medicinal herbs, tinctures, bandages, and the like. Then finally I went to Blossom's store to purchase the additional camping supplies. On a whim, I also purchased a small block of chocolate, justifying it to myself that it would be a useful source of quick energy, although I knew deep down that I had only bought it because I wanted to surprise Avani with it later, just to see her delighted smile. I tucked it into my rucksack, grabbed the rest of my purchases, and headed over to the castle just as the shadows were lengthening.<p>

Dylas was already there, taking a look at some new heavy gauntlets that Avani had reinforced and modified with hefty spikes along the knuckles. He had slipped them on and was curling his hand into a fist, admiring her handiwork. Before, he'd had only plated gauntlets—effective enough on smaller targets, but not so much against larger foes. They looked up as I walked in, dropping my purchases in a pile near the door and strolling over to have a look at Dylas's new plaything.

"Oh, great timing, Leon," Avani said, turning to grab a spear from behind her. "Here, take a look at this." She tossed me a long corseque made of a length of strong, hard, straight wood and reinforced with metal bands along the length to the tri-tip blade at the end. A guard set with small blood-red stones surrounded the grip. It was a trifle coarse in design, but it looked sufficiently well-made, especially considering the short time frame. I gave it an experimental swing and found it was well-balanced and lighter than it looked. "It's been imbued with Fire elemental magic," she explained as I gave the gemstones a closer look. "Dylas's gloves have been imbued with Water magic, my long sword with Earth magic, and my dual swords with Wind magic. So we're pretty well set no matter what we go up against. I wish I was more skillful, but these are the best I could do on such short notice." I nodded approval and thanked her. She had also improved our shields and procured some better-quality mail and boots. It seemed our preparations were all but complete.

"Well, then," Avani said, after approving of my purchases—barring the chocolate, which I kept hidden in my personal belongings, "Leon, Dylas, why don't you go say your farewells and meet me at Porcoline's in about an hour? I need to finalize arrangements with Vishnal and Clorica to tend to my beasts and my farm while I'm away, and then I'll find Arthur and meet you there. We'll go over our plans with him one last time over supper, then it's off to bed in preparation for an early start. See you soon, then?" We agreed and headed out.

Dylas walked in silence alongside me as we headed over to the part of town where the inn and restaurant were located. When we reached the inn, he turned to me and said, "Hey, thanks for coming. I know it's not really your fight… but I'm glad to have you with us. I can tell you're going to make a great fighter just from how rapidly you're improving. And, well, I'm just glad Avani will have you there fighting with her, too, and not only me. I don't know what we'll be facing, and I don't know if I'll be strong enough…."

"Hey," I interrupted, "don't be so glum. I'm looking forward to this—it should be interesting. I think we three make a good team, and it'll be a great opportunity to face some bigger challenges and hone our skills. See you in a while—and cheer up. Think of it as a chance to take a camping trip with your lover, even if you _do_ have me tagging along." With that, I headed into the inn. I bathed in the excellent bathhouse there, then I filled Lin and Xiao in on my plans, promising to return safely. They wished us luck in our quest, and I headed over to the restaurant, arriving just a few minutes past the hour.

Dylas was discussing something with Porcoline at the counter when I walked in, and over on the far side of the dining room, Arthur was just holding the door between the restaurant and his offices open for Avani as she walked on in. I noticed that as she passed him, he gave her a look of such deep admiration that I was startled by its intensity. I looked again at her, and was struck anew by her magnetism. She wasn't _exactly_ beautiful, not conventionally so anyway, or even quite pretty. But she had some inner fire that suffused her with its radiance. She stood straight and tall and walked with confidence, her figure trim and lithe, and while she didn't fuss over clothes and makeup and hairstyles the way most girls seemed to do, she also had no need of such artifice to enhance her natural appeal. Even if she wasn't the most gorgeous girl in a room, she would surely be the one who attracted the most attention. So although I hadn't realized that Arthur was enamored of her, neither did I find it very surprising. I was certain most men would find her irresistible. And I was equally certain Avani had no idea—she was far too naïve for her own good, I feared, though I also felt that her artlessness was part of her charm.

We gathered at one of the smaller, private tables, except Dylas, who helped Porcoline serve the food. Or rather, he snatched the food away from Porcoline before he could devour it and delivered it to our table unscathed. I began to see why Dylas had such excellent reflexes—he had to move quickly in this place. I shook my head, thinking it couldn't be an easy job. Once the food was safely delivered, Dylas joined us, sitting in the vacant seat opposite me. As we ate, Arthur and Avani went over details: the capitol's response to the current crisis, plans to fortify the town, and Avani's plans for seeking out the research facility. Dylas and I mainly focused on eating and listening; I was too new to this era to contribute much myself, and Dylas seemed to prefer to leave most of the planning to the others.

We finished our meal and wrapped things up, then Arthur departed for his rooms. Dylas began to say goodnight, preparing to retire to his room above the restaurant, but Avani stopped him. "No," she said, "it'll be better if you both sleep at my place tonight. Since I delayed a day, I want to leave extra early tomorrow morning. If we're already together, we'll be able to depart with minimal disturbance to others. So if you have anything here still that you need, go grab it and let's head back to the castle. We can stop by the inn, too, if you need anything there," she added, turning to me as Dylas hurried up to grab a few things from his room.

"A few things, yes. I was expecting to return for the night," I replied.

"That reminds me," she added, "you can bring Sano and Uno if you want, but they might be better off staying here. If you bring them, it'll be up to you to keep them under control—I can't have them getting into mischief and attracting attention."

"I'll leave them here, though the little rascals might still follow me. Are you sure you have room for me to stay overnight, too?"

She nodded, saying with a smile, "Yes, there's a very comfortable chaise in one of my smaller rooms—the one I use as a study. I think you'll be fairly at home there among my books and scrolls. Anyway, Dylas slept there a couple of times before we became lovers, and he seemed to find it restful enough, if a little on the short side for him."

"I haven't yet been given a tour of your suite, so I don't know where this study of yours is. How many rooms do you have, anyway?" I asked.

"Oh, a crazy number, really. Besides the large main chamber, there are five interconnected smaller rooms, some of which have not been used in ages and are in need of cleaning and repairs before they're usable. Still, it's nice to know if I need the space one day, that it's available. And then there is a series of three rooms in a cellar beneath my main rooms that is used mainly for storage—trophies and so on. So I guess that makes nine rooms, plus my outbuildings. Pretty insane, huh?"

I admit I was surprised. Even Prince Arthur had only two rooms, though admittedly one of them was as large as Porcoline's entire restaurant. Of course, it was originally the plan for him to occupy that suite of rooms in the castle, which would have been more befitting his rank. But he was the consummate gentleman and had insisted that Avani keep the rooms she'd been given by mistake—Venti had told me all about it during one of our talks. But I hadn't realized that the castle, which had been built after my time, was so expansive.

Dylas returned a moment later, and we headed over to the inn. The baths were still open, so Avani told me to take my time—she wanted one last soak in the baths before departing. So I packed the last few things I needed, then spent a little time selecting a book to read, just in case I didn't find anything of interest on her shelves. I roused my foxes, who had curled up on my bed and fallen soundly asleep, and told them I'd be away for a few days and that they should remain there in my room until I returned. Fortunately, being spirits, they had no need of food or drink. They yawned and stretched, then scurried around as I grabbed my things and headed to the staircase.

When I returned to the lobby, Dylas had finished his bath and was waiting for Avani to finish hers. He looked up as I walked in and nodded to me, looking impatient. Bathing seemed to be her favorite indulgence—she visited the baths often, I'd noticed, and when accompanied by Dylas, he always seemed to finish long before her. Finally she appeared, radiant from the hot water and with her still-damp hair clinging to her shoulders and back. Dylas gave her a look that seemed a mixture of annoyance and adoration as he strolled over to the vending machine to buy her a cold milk. She thanked him with a smile and sipped it as we walked towards the castle.

We took a route that passed the house Forte shared with her younger brother, Kiel, and she stopped to let her know that we'd be departing very early in the morning. We continued on to her rooms, where she told us to wait for a minute. She headed out the back door that led to her gardens, then returned several minutes later with a massive silver wolf following tamely at her heels. I must have looked surprised, because she laughed and explained that she was bringing the wolf, Baldur, to guard our campsite and also to use as a pack beast. He was easily the size of a sturdy pony, but I wondered how he'd respond to being treated like a beast of burden. Still, he seemed tame, even devoted to his mistress. He was apparently intelligent enough to understand and follow commands, as she instructed him to lie down before the fire and stay—and he did so with alacrity.

Next she helped me gather up my things and showed me to her study, up a flight of stairs situated between her bed and her wardrobe. She disappeared for a moment and returned with her arms loaded with blankets and cushions. She bustled around for a few minutes, arranging things and building a fire in the small fireplace, and soon she had a comfortable-looking bed made up for me. She disappeared for another moment, returning with a large pitcher full of water resting in a basin, and a towel and washcloth draped over her arm. She placed these on a small table near the door, then she picked up a slender taper resting on top of the mantle, lit it in the fire, and used that to light a pair of large pillar candles on a table next to the chaise. "There. I think that does it," she said, pinching out the taper and returning it to its place before looking around at her arrangements. "Please feel free to help yourself to my books, and you know where the kitchen is if you find yourself hungry or thirsty. Just help yourself to whatever you want. Is there anything else you need before I retire?" she asked, looking at me.

"No… no, this should do nicely. Thank you, Avani," I replied.

"Then I'll call you early, before sunrise. We'll eat a quick breakfast and head out as soon as we're able. Good night, Leon," she said as she turned to leave.

"Good night, Avani. Sleep well," I replied.

After she left, I changed into my pyjamas and strolled over to inspect her books. Although I had found her to be quite intelligent, I still hadn't expected to find such a fine selection of volumes and scrolls in her personal library. I found one old book of legends that intrigued me—legends which had sprung up since my time and thus were new to me—and settled down in the narrow but comfortable bed to read it by the light of the candles.

After a little while, a noise from downstairs drew my attention from my book. I set the book down and listened for a minute, hearing faint sounds but unable to determine their significance, when I noticed that the door had not closed completely behind Avani when she left and thus was slightly ajar. I opened the door to hear better and suddenly realized the cause of the sounds I was hearing from Avani's bedchamber.

Feeling amused yet oddly unsettled by my discovery, I quickly but quietly closed the door and returned to my bed, trying not to think too much about what was happening downstairs. I tried without success to get back into my book, but my concentration was shot and I gave up after a short while, blew out the candle, and went to sleep.

I woke in the middle of the night, confused momentarily by the unfamiliar surroundings and feeling terribly thirsty from the generous portion of salted salmon I'd had earlier at the restaurant. I recalled where I was and that Avani had left a pitcher of water—but I found she had neglected to bring a glass. I cautiously opened the door and listened; all was quiet now.

I silently slipped downstairs to Avani's room. In the glow of the fireplace, I could see her wolf lying before the fire, remaining where she had ordered him to lie, yet alert as he watched me as quietly pass through. In her large bed, Avani lay curled in Dylas's arms, his chin resting on the top of her head, both soundly asleep. I managed to get into the kitchen, drink a couple glasses of water, and return without disturbing them. Either I was moving more silently than I thought, or they were _really_ worn out, I thought to myself as I closed the study door behind me. I was surprised to find that the thought was a slightly bitter one.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	9. Chapter 9

**AN:** Hope you are enjoying the story so far, thanks for reading! :)

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><p>The next morning, before the sky had even begun to lighten, I was awakened by Avani shaking my shoulder. "Hey, sleepyhead. Time to get up and head out," she said as I drowsily opened my eyes. She looked disgustingly refreshed and energetic. "Good morning," she added cheerily.<p>

"Nng," I groaned. "Good morn… no. Just… no. It's not even light yet, so I'm going to go with 'bad night' instead."

She looked surprised as she asked, "Oh? Didn't sleep well?"

"Yeah, well, _someone_ was a little loud last night, so no, not the best night's sleep ever," I replied testily.

"Ahhh, I see. Jealous?" she replied, teasingly.

Recovering some of my good humor at the prospect of yanking her chain, I replied, "Well, so what if I am?"

"You wha…?" she said, looking at me uncertainly, blinking in surprise.

"So jealous that you two slept so soundly afterwards. Why, what did you _think_ I meant?" I asked innocently.

"Ugh," she replied, grabbing a cushion and smacking my head with it as I laughed at the look on her face. "Save it for later, we really need to get a move on. And Leon—you can tease _me_ all you want, but if you tease Dylas about that even just a little teensy bit, I will never forgive you. He can't take it like I can."

"Yeah, sure…." I said with a mischievous grin, "Hey, seeing that he has a mane and tail, can I ask him if he's also hung like a…"

"Leon!" she shrieked, smacking me again, harder, as I laughed. "Don't you dare!" She stood up and gave me an exasperated glare. "Breakfast is in 5 minutes. Be there or we'll leave you behind." And she turned and stalked out the door.

I threw on my clothes as fast as I could and arrived just as she was dishing up. She gave me a quelling glance and placed a plateful of kippers, toast, fried eggs, grilled tomatoes, and sliced fruit before me, and another at her place. She set a large bowl of thick porridge and a pitcher of cream before Dylas, then poured coffee for all of us. She sat down and we dove in, eating quickly and in focused silence.

Afterwards, Dylas and I cleared and washed up while she set about packing the bags she'd designed and made for her wolf. First, though, she quickly filleted a fish, carefully removing the bones, and gave the raw fish to the beast to eat from a plate set on the kitchen floor while she packed. I was surprised by the delicacy with which the large monster ate his meal.

When the wolf was done eating, Dylas picked up the plate from the floor, stopping to pet his large shaggy head and scratch his ears as he did so. "So, he's pretty friendly, huh?" I asked as I watched him.

"Well… no, not really," he replied. "Only to people he knows well. He's accepted me pretty well, because I'm here so much, I guess. And because, well, I suppose I smell a little like Avani—or she smells a little like me. And he knows Venti and the butlers well, and a few of her closest friends. But if a stranger were to walk in when he's on guard duty here… well, it wouldn't be pretty."

"I came down in the middle of the night to get a glass of water, and he was lying just where Avani had told him to lie down, but he was awake and alert, watching every move I made," I commented as the wolf trotted out to the main chamber in response to his mistress's call.

"Yeah, you're pretty lucky. If he hadn't seen that Avani welcomed you in her home, he'd have been at your throat," Dylas said drily.

"I guessed as much," I replied, setting down the last of the dried dishes. "Well, if I'm going to be camping with him, I'd better get acquainted so that he doesn't decide I'm a threat in the middle of the night sometime."

"Yeaaah…. Better let Avani take care of that, though. She's amazing with animals," Dylas suggested as we walked towards the main chamber.

Avani was just fastening the closure on the second of two bags—similar to the saddlebags that horses used, but modified in size and shape to rest on a wolf's frame better and to be attached to a harness. She called to the large wolf, who lay before the fire watching her, and he came quickly, frisking like an oversized puppy. She played with him for a few minutes, then ordered him to sit. She scratched his ears when he obeyed, then fastened his harness around him as he sat still, tail thumping like crazy. She attached a pack on either side of the harness, then strapped the bedrolls to the harness across his back. With that, he was ready to go. We fastened on our armor, grabbed our equipment and packs, and we were off.

The sky was just turning light to the east as we left the gates and headed towards the sunrise. We had armed ourselves, since one never knew what you might meet out in the wilderness, such as crepuscular beasts of prey. We made our way cautiously to the ruins of the old Water Shrine, then turned south as Doug had instructed.

By midday, we'd discovered what we thought must be the path towards Sercerezo Hill, only to find it completely blocked by an odd cluster of trees. We stopped for lunch and to examine the terrain. "This looks pretty artificial to me, especially given that the Sechs apparently have been using this road until very recently," Avani said, studying the grove with a scowl of concentration as she munched an apple. "Well, there's no helping it. It'll have to be cleared," she said, tossing the core into the bushes and wiping her fingers on her skirt.

"Allow me, Princess—I have been assigned that very task!" We all jumped, startled, only to find Avani's personal butler, Vishnal, trotting along the path towards us. That explained the lack of reaction from Baldur, I thought—he knew the eager young man was a friend.

"Stand back and let me handle this for you!" he said as he drew two sturdy machetes. With our mouths agape, we watched as he dashed forward, slashing and hacking at the slender young trees until they were felled.

When he was done, he was panting and dripping sweat, but he'd cleared a path through in what must have been record time. "There, that should do it. Now you can continue on your way, Princess," he said cheerfully.

"Is… is that something you actually train to do as a butler?" I asked in astonishment.

"Well… Mr. Volkanon instructed me especially, so maybe not _exactly_—but we butlers do whatever it takes to help our masters!" Vishnal replied with a wink .

"Wow, Vishnal," Avani said slowly, looking amazed. "That's… that's incredible. Really. Tell Volkanon I'm _very_ impressed. And thanks! You saved us a lot of time and effort!"

"Of course—it's my duty and my pleasure to be of any assistance to you, Princess!" And he took off back up the path to the north.

"What the hell?" Dylas said, finally regaining use of his tongue. "Did that really just happen? Or am I still asleep?"

Avani looked at him with amusement, and said teasingly, "If you were still asleep, you'd be in my soft, warm bed with your arms around me. Are you? No? Then it must have really happened!"

Dylas flushed deep red, then shouldering his pack again, said, "Shut up! Let's get going. And let's hope that commotion didn't attract any unwanted attention." And with that, we were on the road again.

We crossed a bridge over a deep ravine and found ourselves in a land very different from the one we had just left. For some reason, some of the lands in the area had only one season all year. It had not been that way in my day, and I found the change very curious. I'd asked Kiel about it once, as he was well read in myths and legends—he'd said only that he thought it had to do with some of the fairies that had begun to appear a few centuries ago. There were some tribes of the fey that had evolved to specialize in one or another of the elemental magics, and they had likewise formed a strong preference for a particular season. Once they became established in an area, the surrounding region would be permanently stuck in whichever season was that tribe's preference. For example, he had said, the red fey specialized in Fire magic and preferred the weather and climate of autumn. So when they became established in the area west of the Selphia Plains, the surrounding environs no longer had any seasons other than autumn. Because of that, it had eventually come to be known as the Autumn Road.

Sercerezo Hill was locked into a permanent springtime, with groves of cerezo trees eternally pink with fragrant blossoms, fields of flowers dotting new green grass, and mild spring weather. It was a lovely place—if you were just on a lark, at least. When we reached the far side of the bridge, Avani spotted some fluffy white woolies grazing and napping in a sunny meadow. She told Baldur to stay, and to my surprise, he did—dropping down on the warm grass and completely ignoring the small monsters ahead.

Avani slowly approached the nearest, who was grazing sleepily. She reached out a hand to stroke it… and the next moment was knocked flat on her keister. "What the…?" she exclaimed, startled. The small creature turned and lowered its head, preparing to crash into her again. I quickly cast repeated Double Sonic spells, catching the hostile creature in their blades and returning it to the Forest where it belonged.

Dylas scowled at her as he strode over to help her up. "Idiot! What did you think you were doing?" he scolded as she dusted herself off.

"Well… they were just so cute. And I've never had a wooly attack me like that before!" she protested.

"Dumbass. That wasn't a wooly—that was a schmooly. Can't you tell the difference? Schmoolies are bigger, hostile, and a lot tougher than their tamer cousins. Geez, it's a good thing we came along—you're just too naïve to be on your own, no matter how strong you might be!" he said, still scowling at her, his arms crossed over his chest.

She opened her mouth, an angry look on her face, but then she checked her retort and closed her mouth. After a minute, she said, "You're right, Dylas. It was stupid of me. And I _am_ glad you're here. Thank you."

Caught off guard by her sudden capitulation, he stammered, "Oh, uhh… well then. I-It's no problem."

Avani turned to me, saying, "And thanks, Leon, for dispatching it for me."

"Oh, no problem," I replied with a wicked grin. "Though I'm sorry to send off something so cute as it was adorably kicking your butt. Oh! Look! There's another one over that way—maybe it can help you sit down again if you give it a friendly pat-pat!"

"Oh, shut up!" she replied, trying to frown, but unable to help laughing. "Haven't you ever seen something so cute that you just couldn't resist petting it?"

I walked over to her and patted her on the head, grinning as I said, "Well… maybe I have. Just once." She turned bright red, and grabbing her bag, she called Baldur to her.

We continued on a ways farther, clearing out several small but surprisingly tough monsters from the area. Then we stopped in a small meadow surrounded by a stand of sweetly-scented cerezo trees and decided to set up camp there. The shadows were lengthening by then, and soon it would be twilight.

Dylas had already claimed the job of camp cook, so he got to work, setting up a large fallen tree trunk as a makeshift work table. As Avani removed Baldur's baggage, she asked me to start a fire while she cleared the site. She whisked around, moving quickly as always as she brought me stones to make a fire ring, pulled greenery from the surrounding area, and stacked small branches for kindling close by. Then she grabbed an axe and strolled off in search of larger logs, her faithful wolf at her heels, and returned a short while later, both of them carrying loads of large branches and logs. She made a few trips in total, returning each time with more logs and branches. She placed the three largest logs around the fire ring to use as benches, then she quickly chopped the rest into firewood. Meanwhile, Dylas prepared a simple stew, simmering it in a heavy pot suspended from a tripod over the low fire. As he stirred the stew watchfully, Avani brewed a pot of coffee and sliced some dense bread.

When the stew was ready, she pulled out three bowls, then an extra large, shallow bowl. "Hungry?" I asked with an amused look. She just rolled her eyes and ignored me as she ladled piping hot stew into the large dish, then moved to one side to stir and blow on it as Dylas filled the other bowls. He poured three mugs of coffee and set slices of bread on the edges of each bowl. By then, Avani decided that the stew in the large bowl had cooled enough, and she placed it on the ground before Baldur. She stroked his head, and he licked her hand appreciatively before sniffing at the bowl. I watched in fascination as he reached his huge muzzle down, delicately picked out a chunk of something, flicked it up into the air and caught it neatly, devouring it quickly. Avani noticed me watching, and laughed, saying, "I don't really _need_ to cool it at all—Baldur knows how to cool his own food to the temperature he likes. The hotter it is, the higher he tosses it. I've never seen him burn his mouth. But I do it anyway, just because."

We sat on the logs around the fire as we ate. The stew was quite delicious—I was impressed at Dylas's skill, and I even told him so. He smiled—a rare genuine smile—and said he'd learned a lot from Porcoline, though he thought he still had a long ways to go.

Avani finished first, then rose and grabbed a pair of large skins she had brought for water. She'd filled one earlier while searching for wood, but it'd been emptied in the course of meal preparation and for a drink for her wolf. She told us to stay and finish our meals while she took Baldur for his walkies and fetched more water. Dylas looked uncomfortable at the idea of her heading out in the dark with only her wolf, but nodded agreement.

"His 'walkies'?" I asked after she had vanished into the twilight shadows.

"Yeah…." he replied slowly. "Trust me, if she ever asks you to take her pets on walkies with her… don't. Especially the big ones. And if you _do_ go anyway, be _very_ careful where you step…."

I grinned at him, saying, "Sounds like pretty specific advice there."

"Yep," he replied, swiping up the last of the gravy in his bowl with the last of his bread as I laughed.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	10. Chapter 10

**AN:** It was just pointed out to me that at some point when I was doing some maintenance on this fanfiction, I accidentally replaced this chapter with one from my other fanfiction! I apologize for any confusion this may have caused! Thank you, McLovinGod!

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><p>Dylas was just starting to get antsy at how long Avani had been gone, when we finally heard her wolf approaching. I had no doubt that he could move silently if he wanted, but right now he was frolicking like a massive puppy, even with two large, heavy skins of water strapped on his back. Avani was laughing at his antics as they stepped into the light of the fire, which we had built up against the chill of the night. She removed the water skins and passed them over to Dylas, then she grabbed Baldur's head and shook it roughly side to side, speaking in a funny high-pitched growly voice to him as he whined and thumped his massive tail on the ground, licking her face ecstatically. Then she gave him a hunk of dense bread to gnaw on, and he settled down just at the edge of the circle of light from the fire.<p>

Dylas sat back down on his log, and she sat on the ground next to him, laying her head against his knee and wrapping her arms around his leg as she looked into the flickering flames. He looked down at her, and an uncustomarily soft look came into his eyes as he gently stroked her hair. "Tired?" he asked in a gentle voice.

"Uh-huh, guess so. We had a really early start, and we were up so late last night," she replied drowsily.

Dylas flushed red, saying, "Oh, uhh… sorry about keeping you up…."

She looked up in surprise, then recollected what she'd just said and smiled up at him, saying, "Are you? I'm not." Then she lay her head back on his knee and closed her eyes.

"Hey, don't fall asleep like that!" he protested after a moment as her breathing began to slow. "Neither of us will rest well if you do."

She sighed, rose a little unsteadily, and went to wash her face. She returned rather slowly and pulled something made of white cloth out of her pack. Then to my surprise, she started to strip off her clothing right there in front of the fire.

"H-hey! What are you doing? Don't do that here!" Dylas exclaimed, turning red again.

She looked at him in confusion, saying, "Why? I mean, it's not like you haven't seen…"

"Not _that_, you idiot!" he interrupted hastily, "We're not alone—or did you forget already?"

"Oh! I see," she exclaimed looking over to me. "I'm sorry, am I making you uncomfortable, Leon?"

I grinned, saying, "Nope, not in the least."

"Well, that's okay then," she said, and attempted to loosen the laces of her tunic with fumbling fingers.

"No, it's _not_ okay! I wasn't worried about you making him uncomfortable, dammit!" Dylas said in exasperation. "I was worried about what he might see!"

"Oh?" she said, then paused again for a minute. "Hey, Leon?" she asked, looking at me. "Have you ever seen a naked woman before?"

I laughed—I couldn't tell by now if she was teasing Dylas unusually hard, or if she just really was _that_ tired, but I found it all pretty damn funny either way. "Well," I replied, still laughing, "yes, as a matter of fact, I have seen a few in that state before. Dragon Priests were not expected to be celibate, at least, not in _my_ time we weren't."

"So that's fine," she said turning back to Dylas. "He already knows what women look like naked."

"He doesn't know what _you_ look like!" he protested, turning an even deeper shade of red.

"I don't think it would take much effort to _imagine_ what I look like naked, though, if he knows what I look like in my clothes and what women in general look like naked," she said turning her attention back to her laces.

"That… that's not the point! Or, okay, it _is_ the point! I don't _want_ him imagining _you_ naked!" Dylas shouted, flustered.

"Well, correct me if I'm wrong…" she said sleepily, stifling a tremendous yawn, "but if Leon is a man, he probably already has. I mean, isn't that what a lot of men do, at least? Imagine what girls look like naked? Leon, you _are_ a man, right?"

Laughing even harder, I replied, "Last I checked, yes. Want me to check again, just to be sure?"

"No, that's all right. I'll take your word for it," she replied, trying to suppress another huge yawn.

"H-hey! Not _all_ men are like that!" Dylas protested.

"Oh? You mean you never imagined me naked before we became lovers? Not even once?" she asked him, looking genuinely surprised.

"W-well, I-I…. Shut up! Just… shut up! Come with me. I'll keep an eye on you while you change over there where it's dark."

By then I was gasping for air, I was laughing so hard. But I still managed to call after them, "I'm sure you'll keep a _very_ close eye on her while she changes!"

From the shadows, his voice shouted back, "Shut up already! Don't you _ever_ stop laughing? Geez!"

While they were gone, I changed into pyjamas and spread out my sleep roll. I built up the fire for the night, and by the time I'd finished with that, they'd returned, Avani wearing a cotton chemise and Dylas carrying her clothes for her. She really did look about ready to drop as she stumbled along. Dylas spread out her sleep roll for her while she knelt next to Baldur. "Guard, Baldur," she instructed him, scratching his ear.

"Oh, that reminds me, how do I make friends with your buddy there? I don't want him mistaking me for an enemy in the middle of the night," I asked, watching her caress the giant beast.

"Oh, well, I don't think that will be a problem. But… come over here." I walked over to her and knelt next to her. "Baldur, friend. Leon is a friend," she said, gently stroking his head. He turned and looked at me with his deep cobalt blue eyes, appraising me for a moment. Then he gave a single hard thump of his tail on the ground. "There," she said, "that means he's acknowledged my instruction that you're a friend, not an enemy. Now hold your hand out. No, like this," she said, turning my hand palm side up and straightening my fingers. He sniffed my open hand, then traveled up my arm, snuffling deeply. Then he licked my hand and lay his head down on his massive paws, still watching me with his vivid eyes.

"Now… let's see…" Avani mused as she stumbled sleepily over to the bags of supplies and rummaged a little. "Ahh, here—give him this. It's not his absolute favorite, but he likes it a lot. Giving him a treat will definitely secure his friendship, if he'll take it. He knows he's not allowed to accept treats from just anyone—he'll only take them from me and from those that I've permitted him to accept treats from before. He'll remember that you gave him something he particularly likes, too. And if he _won't_ take it—that means he hasn't made up his mind about you yet." She handed me a small chunk of cheese.

"Ugh, cheese? Really?" I said with a grimace.

"It's not like _you_ have to eat it. But he likes it, probably most of all the things we have on hand. So unless you want to stay up cooking a meal for my wolf…," she said, shrugging.

"Okay, okay. I'll give it to him. But I'll have to wash my hands to get the stink off afterwards!" I walked back to Baldur, then asked, "Hey, should I let him take it from my hand, or should I set it on the ground?"

"Depends on how much you like that hand," Dylas interjected with a malicious grin.

"Shush, you. Baldur's my big lovey-wuvvy puppy dog and you know it." Avani retorted. "It's up to you. He's actually very delicate and precise—you saw him eating the stew. He never bites… at least, not on accident." I felt like this was some sort of challenge, so I knelt down next to him and held out the cheese on the palm of my hand.

The wolf raised his head and looked at me, then ignoring the proffered cheese, he looked at Avani, who said, "It's okay, boy. Leon is giving you a nice treat. Go ahead and take it." He turned back to me, and as gently as a mother picks up a newborn baby, he lifted the chunk of cheese from my hand and set it carefully on the ground between his paws before slowly eating it.

"Looks like my offering has been accepted," I said with a grin.

"Yep, you're part of his family now," she agreed with another yawn.

Looking beyond exhausted by that point, she sank down onto her sleep roll, falling asleep almost instantly, before she could even pull her cloak around her for warmth. With an affectionate look in his eyes, Dylas spread her cloak over her. "You're hopeless," I heard him say softly as he looked down at her, smiling. He changed into pyjamas, spread out his sleep roll next to hers, and saying good night to me as he pulled his cloak up around himself, he too was soon asleep, one arm flung over Avani's waist protectively. I quickly followed suit, leaving guard duty to the great wolf lying at the edge of the shadows of the waning fire, his silver fur gleaming in the flickering light.

When I awoke the next morning, I found Dylas and Avani were already up. I looked around, and spotted her a short ways away. She was dressed in some unusual costume similar to a swimsuit in structure, but less revealing, and she was on top of a large, flat rock, doing a one-armed handstand, legs splayed into splits above her. As I watched, she slowly and carefully placed her other hand down, shifted her weight, and raised the first arm up, standing on the second hand alone. She remained like that for a minute, then placed her other hand back down, straightened her legs up into the air, and then slowly and deliberately lowered them down behind her head without raising her hands off the rock, her back in a high arch. Again she held that position for a short time, then shifted again until she was poised, palms of her hands still flat on the rock, back arched, and her knees bent so that she was resting on her shins, her toes nearly touching the back of her head.

I'd never seen anyone capable of such a range of motions—and I'd seen some pretty interesting things, I had to admit. Next, she reversed through her prior movements until she was doing a handstand on both hands. Then with a strong push, she catapulted into a back flip off the rock, landing neatly in a crouch, facing me with a surprised look on her face.

"Oh! You're awake," she said as she rose and brushed the dirt from her hands. "I hope I didn't disturb you with my morning exercises?"

"Well, you didn't _wake_ me, anyway," I said with the sudden realization that I'd been staring at her all that time. "Where's Dylas?" I asked, ignoring her questioning look.

"Oh, you know him—as soon as I described the little lake where I'd gotten water, he couldn't think of anything but fishing. He was off while it was still dark. I made him take Baldur, at least—he gets so absorbed when he's fishing, he'd never notice if something snuck up on him until it was too late!"

She walked over to the makeshift washing station at one end of the camp kitchen, where the water skins were suspended from a sturdy tree limb and linens hung drying on smaller branches. She drained a small amount of water into a basin, then splashed it onto her flushed face and neck, drying off with a towel she pulled off a branch. She turned towards me with a smile, saying, "There's coffee there, if you want some. Dylas should be back before long, no doubt with some fresh fish for breakfast. It's a good thing you two are both so fond of fish, given how much that man can catch!"

I looked in surprise at her as I poured a mug of coffee for myself. "Don't you like fish?" I asked.

"Oh, I'll eat nearly anything—I'm not really picky. I do have some favorites, of course, but I find that they're mostly based on how much energy I can get from them rather than actual taste preference. The only exceptions I can think of are that I really don't care for those big, green, mild peppers some people like—they taste bitter to me—and I'm not fond of things made from grapes. Fresh grapes are okay, and I do enjoy wine, but as far as juices and foods made with grapes… I'm just not a fan. I have a sweet tooth, but I'm pretty sure it's only because I can get a burst of energy from sugar. And I really like spicy foods like curries."

"Interesting," I said, filing that information away for later. "So tell me, where did you learn to move like that? I've never seen anything quite like it in. It looked like an interesting workout. Is that something common these days?"

She frowned slightly, shaking her head and saying, "I don't really know. Somehow my body just knows how to do it. I think sometimes my body remembers things from my past that my brain has forgotten, at least consciously. And no, I don't think it's common, at least not around here. Everyone who's seen me exercising has commented on it, so I guess that means it's unusual in these parts."

"Even more interesting," I said, sipping my coffee as I looked at her. "Have you noticed anything else that your body remembers, as you put it?"

"Well," she said thoughtfully, "everyone seemed surprised at how quickly I took to farm work—I just seemed to know what to do. And of course fighting skills. Forte was astounded—once I had recovered physically from my injuries from my fall, I quickly surpassed even her in skill. Much too quickly for someone just learning for the first time. Again, I seemed to know just what to do, how to move, but it was all subconscious. Forte called it instinct, but I don't think that's it—it feels more like my body is remembering past training."

"Hmm. But still no return of your memory?" I said, watching her.

She just shook her head, saying, "No, nothing. It's still a complete blank. And the few facts haven't proved helpful—no missing person reports for a green-haired girl, no census reports of an ethnic group prone to green hair and eyes that might be related to me. My clothing apparently is rather unusual, but no one could identify its origins, not even Arthur with all his trade contacts. Fighting and farming skills aren't exactly unique, and no one has seen anyone exercise or train like I do. So…."

She sighed, pouring a mug of coffee for herself and sitting on the log next to me, staring into the embers of the fire as she absentmindedly stirred them, causing them to flare up into a low flame. "It's… it's strange. I have a vague sense that there is something—or some_one_—that I mustn't forget…and another that I mustn't remember. But I can't pin it down better than that. It's too nebulous. And I've no idea what or whom either of those might be."

I thought for a few minutes, then asked, "Were you a virgin?"

She looked at me, startled by my frank and seemingly unrelated question. "What?" she asked.

"Your first time with Dylas, were you a virgin?" I clarified.

She shrugged, saying, "Honestly, I don't know. It… didn't hurt? Not very much anyway—less than I expected it would. So maybe not? But what…?"

"Just thinking—if you have a sense that someone or something was important to you in your past, perhaps that person was a lover or even a husband," I explained.

"Oh, I see," she said. "But then… if that was the case, why hasn't he found me? I mean, if someone that meant a lot to _me_ vanished, I'd search the whole world over, never resting until I found them. And it's been over a year and a half now since I appeared in Selphia—plenty of time for someone with any determination to track me down. So I don't _think_ so. Or at least, even if there _was_ anyone that important to me, I guess I wasn't as important to him."

I put an arm around her shoulders to comfort her, and she leaned against my shoulder. "Well, regardless," I told her, "you've found a home now and have people to whom you are very important. So don't worry about the past. If your memory comes back, or if someone or something from your past returns, you can deal with it then. Meanwhile, we've got plenty to keep us busy in the present." She nodded, a half-smile on her face as she gazed pensively into the fire, sipping her coffee.

"Hey, what's going on?" Dylas's voice came from behind us. We jumped, startled out of our reveries, and turned to see him approaching, a string of fish in one hand and a makeshift pole in the other, Baldur at his heels. He looked curious rather than annoyed or angry, though, so I explained that we'd been discussing the past, or rather, her lack of it.

He turned to her, saying gravely, "Remember what I told you, okay? I don't care what your past was. I'm just happy that you're in this time and this place, here with me. You're more likely to remember stuff if you aren't trying too hard, you know." He set the fish and his gear down and came over, motioning us to scoot over and make room. He sat on the other side of Avani and put his arm around her, too. "Listen, you have a good life. You have a nice home, plenty of work to keep you busy, friends who love you, and great health. Don't focus so much on the past that you don't enjoy the present, okay? Let the past take care of itself when it's good and ready." He gave her a squeeze and kissed the top of her head, then stood up, saying with a grin, "So… who wants some delicious fresh fish for breakfast?"

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	11. Chapter 11

After breakfast was over and the campsite tidied, we suited up in our gear and prepared to head out. Avani gave Baldur some fish and a bowl of water and put him on guard duty, and we left. We headed eastwards towards a bridge we'd spotted the day before as we searched for a campsite. We spent the day exploring the area east of the bridge, but although we saw some strange creatures, including some peculiar flatfish that lived in the sandy remains of a dried-up lake, we didn't find any sign of Sechs activity. We returned home in the late afternoon, tired and dusty from the day's trek.

Dylas decided he wanted to catch some fish for dinner, and Avani swore she needed to bathe and wash her grimy clothes before she choked herself to death on the dust. "Well, if you hadn't wasted a whole freaking hour chasing those damned sand flounders around, you wouldn't be so dusty," Dylas remarked with amusement, ducking with a laugh as she chucked her leather gloves at his head. "Anyway, go ahead and bathe all you like, but wait until I've caught dinner, will you? Otherwise you'll scare the fish!"

"You… you _horse_!" she yelled after his hastily retreating figure. I laughed at her look of disgust, and she looked at me with chagrin, then laughed, too, saying, "Yeah, I know, he's right—but he _might_ have said my _splashing_ would scare them—not that _I_ would!"

I laughed, "Well, I would guess that it wasn't his suave manner and brilliant social skills that attracted you to him in the first place, anyway."

"You've got _that_ right!" she agreed wholeheartedly, laughing. "Come on, let's go join him. The more fishermen fishing, the sooner we'll have enough for dinner—and the sooner I can get my bath!" She gathered up bathing supplies, a washtub, and a change of clothing, then after a moment's thought, grabbed a change of clothing for Dylas as well. "If you want to bathe, too, get what you need, then we'll head on over to the lake."

We joined Dylas as he was enthusiastically fishing from the shore. He already had a few good-sized fish on a string, so it seemed it would not be necessary for us to join him after all. He caught a couple more, then filled the washtub with water from the lake and set the string of fish in the water to keep fresh while we bathed. Dylas didn't approve of us all bathing at the same time, although Avani didn't seem to care ("It's just skin, Dylas. Who _cares_ who sees it? It's the inside that's the important thing, not the outside."), and neither did I, as mixed bathing had been quite common in my time.

But in deference to his more delicate sensibilities, Avani proposed that Dylas and I stick to one side of the small lake while she stuck to the other, or else that we keep our backs turned while she entered and exited the water, and that she would do the same for us. Once in the water, she reasoned, you wouldn't be able to see much anyway unless you really tried, and she didn't think that would be a problem. He still seemed skeptical, though, so with a sigh, she proposed that everyone just strip to their skivvies and use them like swimsuits. Dylas protested at that, too, but Avani reminded him that her underwear was no more revealing than many swimsuits—and less so than some. So we went with that suggestion, stripping to our underwear and diving into the cool water.

Avani apparently loved water like a duck. The lake was not large in diameter, but it was surprisingly deep towards the center, and she reveled in diving, swimming underwater, and floating happily on the surface. Dylas accused her of being a half-nymph or a mermaid, though he seemed to appreciate her thorough enjoyment of the water. He and I were more businesslike in our bathing, scrubbing ourselves thoroughly with soap and washing the grime from our hair and our tails. I was annoyed to find that the soft, fine fur of my bushy tail was getting a little matted. It was a pain for me to work the tangles out, as it was awkward to reach the entire length.

Dylas noticed my predicament and suggested that I ask Avani to brush it out for me. "She's pretty good at that," he said, turning a little pink, "She's detangled mine a few times. She's really gentle."

I scowled a little—while accustomed to my foxy features, I was still sensitive about letting others touch them. I didn't want to invite being treated like a pet, for one thing, nor did I care to invite that level of intimacy from most. But in this case, perhaps it wouldn't be so bad. "Yeah, okay. Perhaps I'll ask her to do so later, once it's had a chance to dry. Thanks for the suggestion."

"Sure. Just make sure she doesn't have any ribbon on hand, or you might end up with some… unexpected decorations," he said, wincing.

I grinned at the thought of Dylas with bows in his tail—and his reaction upon discovering them. "I'll keep that in mind," I assured him.

I finished cleaning my tail as best I could, then dove in to swim underwater to the deeper water where Avani lay floating, her eyes closed against the brilliant sunlight. From under the surface, I reached up and grabbed her foot and yanked on it, startling her into shrieking and flailing her arms. We played around in the deeper water while Dylas stayed nearer to the shore. He seemed fine in the water, but I guessed he didn't join us just because he wasn't the frolicsome sort. Now if we were having a race… then I was sure he'd be right there alongside.

After a while, I decided to head back to camp. Avani swam back to the shallow water with me, asking if I'd release Baldur from his guard duty when I got there. "Just look right at him and tell him 'Baldur, up' and he'll know he's free to leave."

"He won't run off?" I asked, as I gathered my things.

"No," she replied, "or at least not far or for long. He'll probably take care of business, get some exercise, maybe find something to drink, maybe do a little hunting. But he'll be back soon."

"Okay, then I'll see you two in a while. I'll take the fish back with me and start cleaning them." I looked over to see Avani had wrapped her arms around Dylas's neck, the two of them already locked in a kiss as they floated together out towards the deeper water. I grinned, and called out with a laugh, "Take your time, kids!" Dylas replied with a mildly rude gesture, and I laughed again as I headed back to camp.

It was some time later when Dylas and Avani strolled back into camp, hand in hand, and from his smugly satisfied look and her radiant glow, I didn't need to ask what had taken so long. I'd added some wood to the fire, finished cleaning the fish, and salted some of them down in preparation for grilling. The rest I'd left for Dylas to decide how to prepare them.

He quickly got to work, making up for lost time perhaps. Soon there were fish sizzling over the coals of the fire, a plate of sashimi set aside, and he was tossing a salad made of some wild greens that Avani and I had gathered while he worked. Soon we were enjoying our meal in the balmy evening as darkness began to creep across the eastern sky.

I suddenly remembered the chocolate I'd bought, and decided I'd better bring that out tonight—the weather hadn't been too hot so far, but the change in the air tonight hinted at a warmer day tomorrow, and I didn't want it to melt in my rucksack. So as soon as we'd finished eating, I pulled it out and passed it over to Avani, who exclaimed in delight. "Chocolate! Oh, I love chocolate!" I laughed at her delighted exclamation, resisting the urge to pat her on the head as one might pat an adorable child. She thanked me, broke off a chunk and popped it into her mouth, looking blissful.

She handed the block back to me, but I declined, saying that I'd bought it for her. She protested—chocolate was expensive, she said, and she didn't want to hog it. I assured her that I didn't care for it that much, and even _I_ knew how much Dylas hated sweets. She looked dubious yet pleased by the gift, and finally accepted it with more thanks. I was surprised that she only ate one more piece, but she said that she didn't want to waste it by eating it right before going to sleep. "I'll make some hot chocolate in the morning," she said, "then I'll pack it with me to nibble on tomorrow. I never know when I'll need extra energy." With that, she wrapped it back up again and placed it in the packs of food for the night.

I excused myself to change out of my clothing and to give Avani space to do so herself in privacy. When I returned, the two of them were just laying out their sleep rolls side by side near the fire. Baldur lay nearby, half hidden in the shadows, apparently back on guard duty. I spread my bedroll out on the other side of the fire, then remembered that I'd wanted to ask Avani to brush my tail out. I hesitated a moment, then stood up and called out to her as she knelt by her wolf, stroking his head gently. "Hey, Avani, I wonder if you could do me a favor…."

Standing up, she returned to the fire, saying, "Probably, what is it?"

"Well, ahh… it's a little embarrassing…." I said, rubbing my chin, still reluctant to let someone else handle my tail.

She raised an eyebrow at me, then Dylas interrupted, saying, "He just wants you to brush his tail out for him. He says it's gotten a little matted. I don't know how someone who is perfectly willing to strip naked in front of you can be so reluctant to ask you to brush his tail," he added with a snort.

"Ha-ha, well, that's true," I admitted. "But they're not the same thing, you know."

Avani laughed, saying, "Of course, Leon. I don't mind at all. I brush Dylas's tail for him all the time. You wouldn't _believe_ some of the snarls he's gotten in it. Do you have a brush with you?" I retrieved the brush I reserved especially for grooming my tail and handed it to her.

"Okay," she said, "now sit here… like that, right. And try to hold still, okay? Goodness, you weren't kidding. You need to take better care of your fur, you big goof. I'll be as gentle as I can, but it probably will pull a little. Next time, don't wait so long—just ask me if you need help." It was an odd sensation, having someone else handling and brushing my tail, but I found it far more enjoyable than I had thought I would, despite the tangles and the pulling.

After some time, she said she was done, and I thanked her for her help. "Silly, what are friends for if not to help each other out when needed?" she replied cheerfully, handing my brush back to me.

"It's not always that easy, Avani," Dylas said slowly. "At least, it wasn't for me. I felt so… self-conscious around everyone with my strange appearance. It took a while before I started to get over that, and it's something I still get upset about. I mean, I can take it from you, I guess, when you tease me about being a horse or about carrots or whatever, because I know you honestly don't care that I'm different. But from anyone else…. And I couldn't bear for you to touch my tail or ears or anything for a long time, because it just reminded me of how different I was. And… and also, I was afraid you might pity me, which I couldn't have handled. Or that you thought of me more as a pet than anything. So… it's not always easy for me to ask for help with things like that. I don't know if it's the same with Leon or if it's something different, but that's how it's been for me anyway."

Again, Dylas surprised me. I tended to think of him as rather slow on the uptake, but sometimes he could be startlingly intuitive or insightful. I looked at him thoughtfully, and said, "Perhaps we have more in common than I had originally believed."

Turning to Avani, I said, "It's not _quite_ the same for me as for Dylas. It's partly as he said, but it's also that I find grooming to be rather more intimate than I'm willing to allow most to be with me. But it would seem I'm willing to make an exception for you. Thank you." She blushed a little as she nodded, then suggested we retire for the night.

As I banked the fire for the night, she stretched out on her sleeping roll, pulling her cloak over her as she lay facing the fire. Dylas stretched out on the adjacent mat, sliding under her cloak as he spooned up to her and pulling his cloak over them. He wrapped his uppermost arm around her waist as she rested her head on his lower arm like a pillow. Before I had even pulled my cloak around myself, both were sound asleep.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	12. Chapter 12

The next morning, I was the first to awaken. I quietly stoked the fire, so as to avoid disturbing Dylas and Avani as they slept. They had changed position in their sleep but remained curled up together, Dylas on his back with one arm wrapped around Avani, who slept with her head on his chest and her arm flung across his torso. They looked so harmonious in their sleep, I admit I felt a little pang of envy.

Shaking off potentially dangerous lines of thought, I decided to go catch some fish for breakfast. I dressed silently in the dim light, then headed to the lake, chopping down a slender sapling along the way and shaping it with my knife to use for spear fishing—an activity I had greatly enjoyed in the days before I was bound as a Guardian. I was out of practice, but fish were plentiful in the spring, so it wasn't long before I had a decent quantity of fish to take back to camp.

As I fished, I thought to myself about the people I'd grown up with—my family, my friends… and Maria. I wondered for the thousandth time since reviving how they'd lived out the remainder of their lives… if they'd been happy, and if they had remembered me long after I was gone. Displaced as I was in time, I occasionally felt a peculiar loneliness—the loneliness of one who is _in_ a place and time but not _of_ that place and time. I wondered if that was part of what drew us former Guardians together—that unique experience of not truly belonging anywhere. And despite being an Earthmate herself, Avani had befriended us all.

When I returned, Dylas and Avani were both awake and just finishing dressing. I greeted them and started to clean the fish, joined a minute later by Dylas, who seemed keenly interested in learning about spear fishing. I explained the theory to him as we worked and promised to take him some time. Meanwhile, Avani embarked on her morning exercise routine, having first released Baldur from his guard duty. I watched in fascination as she moved through a number of lunges, kicks, stretches, gymnastics, and contortions, ending in the same black flip landing in a crouch as the day before.

I noticed that Dylas likewise had stopped working and was watching her, completely engrossed. When she had finished and strolled over to splash her face with water, he said in a low aside to me, "I could watch her all day and never get tired of the sight. I don't know how she does it. Me, I can hardly even touch my toes."

"I wonder just how flexible she is? Have you ever asked her to show you?" I asked curiously.

"Uh… no. No, I haven't," he replied, blushing furiously.

"Hey, Avani?" I called to her as she dried her face. She looked up at me questioningly, and I continued. "Just curious—exactly how flexible _are_ you, anyway? I mean, that's some pretty amazing movement you have going on there, but I wondered if that was reaching your limit, or if you can flex even more than that?"

"Oh, sure," she said with a grin. "Want to see?"

"You bet. I'm curious, at least, and I assume Dylas wouldn't object to the sight," I replied, grinning back at her.

She went back to the rock she'd adopted as her workout floor, and lay on her belly. She then raised her torso, bending her head backwards over her spine. At the same time, she lifted her legs up, bending them at the knee. She continued curling herself up tighter and tighter until finally her heels rested on her shoulders. Next she stood up, then bent backwards farther and farther until she was doubled up, grasping her ankles from behind, the back of her head behind her knees. Then she went into a handstand, and holding her torso parallel to the ground, she slowly swung her legs back over her head until their entire length was bent back over her head, her backside almost resting on the back of her head. Next she slowly lifted first one leg, then the other, straightening them out so that they pointed towards the sky in a traditional handstand, then lowered them back down in opposite directions into side splits, continuing until not only were her legs parallel to the ground but even farther than that. Then she again raised her legs and repeated the splits maneuver, only this time split front and back instead of side to side. Finally she lowered her legs until both feet were flat on the ground, her back arched, and she slowly straightened up until she was standing. Her face was flushed and she was breathing heavily, but she grinned and said, "Ahh, that felt great! I don't often stretch that deeply—it was good to push it a little bit."

We just stared for a minute, slack-jawed, then I began to slowly clap. "That… was incredible. No wonder you can execute such amazing maneuvers in battle."

She smiled and thanked me, then looked curiously at Dylas, who was still staring with his mouth hanging open. "Dylas?" she asked, questioningly.

I waved a hand in front of his face but got no response. "Ahh," I said, turning back to her with a smirk, "it looks like you've broken his head. I suspect there's only one surefire way to snap him out of it. I believe I will take Baldur on a very long walk, and I leave his cure in your… hands? We'll be sure to make plenty of noise when we come back, just to be on the safe side."

She blushed at what she assumed was my teasing, but nevertheless, I called Baldur, who came to me willingly, and we set out. I took an empty sack with me and looked for greens as we walked slowly through the springtime fields.

Sure enough, when we returned some while later, I found them preparing breakfast—or rather, she was _trying_ to prepare breakfast while Dylas persistently held her in a tight embrace while nuzzling and kissing her neck. They both had a flushed, contented look that suggested they had successfully employed my implied cure for Dylas's bedazzlement.

I dropped the bag of greens on the ground at Avani's feet, saying, "Glad to see you're back among the living, Dylas. Hey, I found some ramps growing nearby! And I picked some mushrooms, too."

Avani looked skeptically at the mushrooms in the bag, and asked, "Are you sure these are edible? I can't tell the good ones from the bad ones."

"Oh, there's no such thing as _bad_ mushrooms," I said with a mischievous grin. "Only exciting ones!"

"Ugh," she replied closing the bag quickly. "I can do without that kind of excitement, thanks."

"True, true. You and Dylas do seem to get plenty of excitement. But for a single man like me…," I said with a mock sigh.

"Stuff it," said Dylas good-naturedly.

"Stuffed mushrooms…" I mused, "that sounds pretty good to me."

"Yeah, and I'll show you exactly where you can stuff 'em," Dylas replied, pulling the ramps and greens out of the bag and ignoring the mushrooms.

Soon breakfast was ready—grilled fish and a very good scramble of eggs, sautéed ramps and spring greens. Dylas and I had coffee while Avani sipped her hot chocolate. The morning's events caused us to get off to a late start, but no one seemed to mind too badly. We headed southwards from our base camp, following an established path. After a little ways, the path forked, the branches continuing south or heading west. We opted to continue south, and soon found ourselves at the mouth of large cave. A stairway led down to lower levels, and so we drew our weapons and took the stairs down.

We found ourselves in an empty cavern, with an opening to an adjacent cavern to the south. We carefully entered the second chamber and found two large holes in the ground with a sign between them. I stepped up and examined the sign. "It asks if we are male or female, and says if female, to jump into the hole to the west."

"Well, I'm the only female here… so I guess I should be the one to go?" Avani said uncertainly.

"Like hell you will," Dylas said with a scowl. "We're sticking together, whether we go down one of the holes or just get out of here."

"I agree," I added. "Since we do have a lady in the party, I say we jump down the western hole—all three of us. I find this rather intriguing, myself." Avani nodded, and we stood at the edge of the hole and leaped down together, landing in another cavern similar to the one we just left. I took a look at the new sign, saying, "This sign says that if we're good cooks, take the western hole."

"Okay, western hole it is then," Dylas said, striding up to the opening. Again we jumped and landed in a similar cavern.

"Let's see," I said, "this time if we're beautiful or pretty or cute to take the western hole."

"West hole again," Dylas said.

"Thanks, I do rather pride myself on my appearance," I said, affecting a blush.

"Shut the hell up, you idiot. I wasn't talking about you," he said with an exasperated scowl. Once again we jumped together.

This time we landed in an empty cavern, with only an opening to the north. We entered the adjacent cavern, and there we found a large raccoon-like creature. "At last you have come, my bride!" he exclaimed rapturously, gazing at Avani.

"Huh? Say _what_?" she replied, looking baffled.

"I've been waiting for twenty long years for you to arrive, and finally you're here. Quickly now, let us be married right away!"

"You _can't_ be serious." she replied, looking ticked off.

"Like hell is she marrying you!" Dylas snapped, stepping forward on Avani's right.

"I agree. The lady has no wish to marry you, so I'm afraid it's out of the question," I added, stepping forward on her left.

"Oh, how quaint. You've brought your pets. A pony and a puppy," the creature exclaimed. "Well, if you won't marry me willingly, I'll just have to _make_ you marry me!" With that, he incanted a shielding spell, trapping the three of us in the cavern.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	13. Chapter 13

**AN:** At the request of a reader, I'm trying out breaking up the dialogue in the traditional manner rather than lumping it all together in paragraphs, to see if that makes the dialogue easier to read. I'd love to know what you think, if you find it easier or prefer the old way, so feel free to leave a review or send me a PM! I'll adjust past chapters if readers seem to like it this way. Thanks again for reading, and I hope you continue to enjoy my story!

**AN2:** FYI, I've decided that the rating will be changing to M sometime in the next few chapters. I was torn between leaving in the lemons I'd written or toning them down, and I decided to leave them. So if you don't like M-rated stories or lemons, be forewarned! :)

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><p>As she faced the raccoon monster, her face white with anger, Avani crouched and leaped into the air. Shouting a mighty battle cry as she flipped through the air, sword held high above her, she flew at the beast with her distinctive slashing attack. She struck the creature several times in rapid succession as she spiraled through the air before landing on her feet a short distance from him. The creature bellowed in rage or pain and suddenly transformed into a giant demon.<p>

Dylas and I both sprang forward as Avani staggered back and fell under a backhanded blow from the creature's massive forearm. I rammed him in the belly with my spear, and although his densely matted fur blocked a mortal injury, nevertheless I was able to do him some damage. Dylas flanked him and punched him with his spiked gauntlets as I jumped back, dodging a blow from the enraged monster, and cast an Earth Spike spell.

Avani had recovered by this time and flew in with her most powerful attack. The demon flew back from the combined effect of my spell, a powerful flying kick from Dylas, and Avani's sword strike, landing on his back with enough force that the cave shook. He vanished in an explosion of light, then reappeared in his miniature form.

"You… you're a strong opponent," he said to her, gasping.

"What were you _thinking_?" she berated him angrily. "That's no way to find a mate!"

"I know," he sighed. "I'm sorry. Here, please accept this gift from me, as an apology." He held out a small parcel to her.

"Well… all right, if you promise you'll behave from now on," she said, reluctantly accepting the proffered gift.

"I will," he assured her. "But… will you sometimes come to visit and play with me again? It gets so lonely here…."

"I'll think about it," she replied. Then she straightened up, raised her hands, and with a shouted incantation, she cast an Escape spell. We found ourselves in the cave's entrance, the stairway down just ahead of us.

"A raccoon demon," I mused, glancing towards the stairs, and we exited into the brilliance of the spring afternoon.

We had a few minor skirmishes with an odd assortment of monsters afterwards, but before long it became apparent that Avani had been injured at some point. So with some regret, Dylas and I agreed we should call it quits early that day, overriding Avani's protests that she was fine, really.

When we reached camp, Dylas scolded her soundly, reminding her that we didn't know what we'd be up against when we finally reached the object of our search, and that it was far better to rest now and be prepared for whatever tomorrow might bring than to foolishly rush into danger. It was perhaps the surest sign that she was feeling under the weather that she didn't argue any further with him, giving in almost immediately. I could see that concerned Dylas as well. I suggested he get her to bed as soon as he could, offering to go fish for our supper while he helped her out of her armor and into her pyjamas. He mutely nodded acceptance, so I packed up and left, taking Baldur with me.

When I returned, she was lying on her sleep roll, her cloak draped over her and Dylas's cloak folded up under her head for a pillow. She appeared to be asleep, so I quietly brought Dylas the fish I'd caught. I went to Avani, and as gently as I could, I placed a hand on her head and cast a healing spell on her. She seemed better for a minute, but she quickly deteriorated again. I watched her for a few minutes as she slept, then told him I'd be back again in a little while.

I headed out, grabbing an empty bag on my way, and I soon located a small group of schmoolies. I easily defeated them, and gathered the wool that had been shorn from them during combat. Stuffing the wool into the bag I'd brought, I continued battling schmoolies until I'd gathered enough wool to fill the bag. Returning to camp, I tied the bag closed and with Dylas's help, swapped it with his cloak for her to use as a pillow. She woke just enough to burrow down into her new cushion, then she was out again, looking weak and feverish as she moaned and tossed restlessly in her sleep.

Dylas grilled some fish for me, prepared sashimi for himself and the wolf, and made a simple herbed rice porridge for Avani. He bolted his raw fish as he stirred the bubbling porridge, then he dished up a bowlful and sat next to her. Gently waking her, he spoon fed her, cradling her head in his lap.

As he fed her, I noticed a small dark spot on the side of her neck, partly hidden by her hair. Coming over and looking more closely, I saw she had a long, slender thorn stuck in her neck, just below her ear. I removed it and looked at it. It looked like the poisonous thorns that some of the monsters—plant creatures capable of locomotion—flung as a weapon. I showed it to Dylas and went to fetch a vial of antidote from the bag of medicines. Dylas held her head up and I carefully poured it into her mouth. She managed to swallow some, and within minutes her color had improved and she seemed to be more at ease.

"Poison, huh?" Dylas said without taking his eyes off her as she at last slept peacefully.

"Looks like it. She probably never even noticed the thorn and just chalked up feeling badly to being tired. Those things can be a royal pain in the ass, though normally they don't bother us because they don't penetrate our armor or even our clothing. But at least she should improve quickly now," I reassured him.

"Yeah…," Dylas said slowly. "Thanks, man. I'm glad you caught it. I don't know how I missed it."

"Well, it was just good luck that I happened to spot it," I replied, returning to my meal. "They're not very large, so they're easy to miss, and her hair probably hid it anyway." After I'd finished eating and had regained some energy, I again cast a healing spell on her, and with a soft sigh, she slipped into a deeper sleep.

We sat around the fire after cleaning up from the evening meal, talking in low voices to avoid waking Avani. Dylas talked about his era, which had been roughly a century and a half ago by his estimate. I still hadn't worked out exactly how long ago my time had been, but I agreed with my foxes' estimate that it had been between six and seven centuries since I'd become the first Guardian. I told him about life in my time, and about what Venti had been like when I'd known her as a young dragon. We discussed fishing at length, too.

After a while, I stood and stretched, and suggested that we stay close to camp tomorrow, to give Avani a day to recover. "If she's well enough to go to the lake, I can start teaching you how to spear fish, too, if you're still interested," I added, as I prepared myself for bed.

"Hell, yeah!" was his enthusiastic response.

The next morning, Avani looked much better, and she declared she was well enough to head out again—she didn't need a day of rest, she said sternly. Until she stood up, that is. Her legs were still weak from the lingering effects of the poison, and they buckled and gave way, dropping her to the ground most unceremoniously. Then she faintly agreed that maybe a day off would be a good idea, after all.

Dylas stood over her, scowling down at her as he said, "Damn straight, it's a good idea. Don't be an idiot. You had us worried, you know. You're lucky Leon spotted that poison thorn—otherwise who knows what might have happened." She looked abashed as she accepted his hand up, and to my surprise, she meekly apologized for causing us concern, and thanked us for taking care of her. Dylas looked surprised, too, and gruffly told her not to worry about it, just to be more careful in the future.

After breakfast, we packed up some gear and bathing supplies and headed to the lake. I still had my field-expedient spear, and along the way, I showed Dylas how to select a sapling or long branch for such a use and how to whittle the tip and barb with a hunting knife. When we reached the lake, we first made sure Avani was comfortable, lying on the cool, soft grass by the shore, wrapped in her cloak for extra warmth until the sun reached under the trees. Then Dylas and I stripped to our boxers and waded out into the shallows.

I showed him how to position himself, standing and waiting motionless until the fish forgot he was there, how to select his target and to aim correctly through the water, and how to plunge the spear quickly to catch his prey. I demonstrated a couple of times, then he moved a short ways off to try it himself. It took a few failed attempts before he finally caught one, but at last he scored a good sized trout, which he held up to show me with a big grin and thumbs-up.

We continued fishing for a while, then after we had caught a few more, we waded back to shore. We cleaned the fish right there at the edge of the spring, Dylas deftly slicing it up into sashimi. The three of us ate as much of the fresh, raw fish as we wanted, then Avani lay back down and fell asleep in the dappled shade of the cerezo trees.

After he'd finished his meal, Dylas brought out an oddly-shaped collapsible cage that he'd brought along with him. He set it up and tied a few large stones to it, then wading out into the deeper part of the shallows, he dropped it into the water. A long reed attached to it stuck up out of the water, marking its location. He returned to shore and gathered up the scraps and offal from cleaning and preparing the fish, then he waded back out and dropped it all into the cage. I watched the proceedings with interest, and looked at him questioningly when he returned.

"Shrimp cage," he explained. "Used to catch shrimp, crayfish, and so on. They get in to eat the bait, then they can't get out again. All you have to do is return the next day and lift it out of the water."

"Fascinating," I said, looking back to where the reed was visible sticking out of the water. "Do you expect to catch anything in these waters?"

He shrugged, saying, "No idea. But nothing ventured, nothing gained—right? Avani loves shellfish, so I thought I'd try. I'll check on it next chance I get and see if I got lucky."

We spent the afternoon quietly, Avani dozing lightly while Dylas and I stayed close by to keep an eye on her, taking turns bathing in the cool water or fishing. By late afternoon, she seemed mostly recovered from the aftereffects of her illness, though she was still tired and a little weak despite her long rest. I guessed she'd been affected worse than usual because of the long delay in giving her an antidote.

As we prepared to return when evening approached, she sighed as she looked down the path back to our camp, then tiredly reached for her cloak, which she'd discarded some time ago when she became too warm. Dylas watched her for a moment, then took the cloak from her and knelt down in front of her, his back to her.

"C'mon, climb on. I'll give you a ride back," he said, not unkindly.

"Are… are you sure?" she asked, biting her lip; I could see she was tempted yet torn, knowing his feelings about carrying her like that.

"Yeah, come on. Just don't tell Doug, or I'll never hear the end of my giving 'horsey rides'," he snorted. She giggled a little, then climbed up on his back, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and leaning her cheek against the back of his neck. He stood up, hanging onto her legs and carrying her cloak tucked under one arm, and we returned to our camp.

Dylas prepared another stew that night, a little different than the one he made before but just as delicious. Avani rested before the fire while I sliced bread and brewed coffee to go with the stew. After our meal, she felt recovered enough to sit up with us, sipping hot drinks before the fire. She sat on the ground between Dylas's feet, leaning her head against his knee, her cloak draped around her. He stroked her hair as we talked about a variety of things. After we finished our drinks, I washed up while Dylas settled Avani comfortably and prepared for bed.

When I returned, they were spooned together, his arm wrapped protectively around her as he watched her sleep. "She looks much better," I commented as I prepared for bed. He nodded, and I added, "I think she'll be fine by morning. Let's get some sleep—good night." And then I lay watching the glowing embers while they slept, lost in my thoughts and dreams.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN:** Sorry this is so late, I had a lot going on today. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy today's installment!

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><p>As I'd hoped, by morning Avani was completely recovered. She rose first, and when I woke up, she was in the midst of her exercise routine, Dylas still sound asleep on his bed roll. The scent of the coffee I made woke him, and we had a quick breakfast. Avani was ready and raring to go, so we suited up, set Baldur on guard duty, and headed out. This time when we reached the fork in the southern road, we turned west.<p>

Soon we passed a hermit's cot set back from the road, and shortly after that we spotted the large mouth of a cave set into the hillside. We heard voices, so we quickly and quietly ducked into the shelter of the shrubs alongside the road. Before long, a pair of soldiers in the uniform of the Sechs military came up the road. I couldn't make out all that they said despite my keen senses, but I definitely discerned "Lord Ethelberd," "research," "Rune Spheres," and "final hurdle" in their conversation. They turned and entered the mouth of the cave, and after a few minutes, we cautiously followed, our weapons drawn.

Inside the cave we found a labyrinthine series of caverns, connected by tunnels and hidden passages, and occupied by hobgoblins, goblins, and other monsters. Finally, after an exhausting search and numerous skirmishes, we reached an unguarded chamber with a staircase leading down. We paused for a short break to eat and drink, heal our injuries, and rest a little. Soon, though, we proceeded cautiously down the dimly lit stairs.

When we neared the bottom of the stairway, we again heard voices—the same as before, I was almost certain. They seemed to be discussing what kinds of monsters they'd like to be turned into—a peculiar topic of conversation, I thought. Soon we heard the sound of a heavy barrier being opened, then closed again, followed by silence. We entered a chamber that contained only a blockaded passage to the north and warp points to both the east and the west. We looked at each other, then Avani shrugged and ran towards the eastern warp point, vanishing in a burst of light. Dylas ran after her, looking highly annoyed, and I followed close behind.

I suddenly found myself in another cavern, where Avani was already engaged in heavy combat with a small, vile-looking sorcerous monster. Dylas was a few paces ahead of me, running to her aid, so I quickly cast Water Laser and hit the monster with the high-energy stream. Soon he was defeated, and we continued on after Dylas scolded Avani for her careless haste.

Again, there was a maze of passages and caverns, filled with somewhat tougher monsters than on the previous level—mages, undead monsters, and more hobgoblins. Finally we reached a room that contained a switch and a warp point. The switch was color coded to match a portion of the barrier in the first chamber, so Dylas threw it and we warped back to the first room. Sure enough, part of the blockade was down, so we knew we were getting there. By now we were nearing exhaustion, though, so we decided to return to camp and continue tomorrow. Avani cast Escape, which deposited us just outside the mouth of the cave, and we returned to camp, ignoring any monsters that didn't actually prevent our progress.

After dropping off our gear, we headed to the spring to fish for our evening meal and wash the sweat and dust away. Upon our arrival, we discovered that Dylas had caught a few decent-sized lobsters in his trap, so we quickly bathed and headed back to cook them. Dylas prepared the lobsters for grilling, tossing the raw meat of the smallest two to Baldur for his supper. As he made his preparations, I gathered some more greens for a salad. Meanwhile, Avani said she felt obligated to report our discovery of the cave to Arthur, so she returned to town using the Escape spell, reappearing a while later just as Dylas was finishing cooking the lobsters. We enjoyed the delicious grilled lobsters, then afterwards we sat around the fire cleaning our gear before turning in for the night.

The next morning, we all rose early and ate a quick but hearty breakfast before setting out again. We cautiously approached the cave, but again there was no guard set. This time we just bolted through the first floor, ignoring any monsters that didn't block our route for the sake of speed. We quickly reached the stairs and descended to the second level. This time we entered the western warp point all together, our weapons drawn and ready.

We emerged in a cavern and came face to face with a huge minotaur. It bellowed in rage and charged, and we leapt forward to meet it in combat. It carried a massive battle axe—capable of great damage, but slow. As we charged, I noticed that Avani had sheathed her huge sword and drawn her smaller dual swords. I hadn't seen her fight with them yet and was amazed by the sight. Since they were so much smaller and lighter, they did less damage with each blow, but she was able to strike so much more often that the overall effect was pretty impressive. Using her superior speed and agility against the lumbering beast, she was devastating in her attack.

We dispatched it more quickly than I would have thought possible, and after a short break, during which Avani healed everyone and restored some of her expended energy with a little food, we continued on through the interconnected caverns. We fought several more minotaurs and a number of the earth shades known as gaias as well as more of the same monsters as we'd fought yesterday, finally reaching a second chamber containing a switch and a warp point. We threw the switch and jumped into the warp point, returning to the first cavern on that level. This time we found the barrier completely removed, and we entered a cavern with yet another staircase leading down.

We descended into another empty chamber with a passage open to the north, where we found a minotaur and another of the little sorcerous monsters holding a green fey captive. We defeated them, and Avani released the imprisoned green fey. In her gratitude, she offered to follow Avani as long as she wished. Avani accepted her proffered friendship but told her to return to her stables in Selphia for now, to rest and recover from her ordeal. The fey vanished in a flash, and we proceeded, fighting our way through more labyrinthine caverns, coming up against minotaurs, little mages, demons, and more, until we reached a chamber containing only a warp point. We stopped to rest and heal our wounds, then entered the warp point, exiting in another empty chamber with a passage to the north.

That room contained both a demon and a minotaur, which we soon defeated. The next room, though contained a small golem—something none of us had faced until now. As a Sechs construct, the Tamitaya spell on our weapons would not work—we'd have to annihilate it completely. It was tough, made of stone and incapable of feeling pain or of tiring. My spear would not be effective against it, so instead I focused on casting Water Laser, letting the powerful jet of water blast the Golem's stone, wearing it down as Avani attacked with her heavy long sword and Dylas battered it with a series of mighty kicks and punches. It was the toughest opponent we'd faced yet in those caves, though we knew that there were certainly worse battles still to come.

After a few more rooms, we found ourselves no longer in natural caverns, but in finished rooms with massive metal columns, smooth floors, and artificial lighting. We soon entered a room that was empty, where we again rested for a few minutes to recover strength and heal our wounds. Avani spotted a switch that activated a warp point—possibly a shortcut back up to the entrance, though we didn't yet know for sure.

As we reached the door to the north, we heard voices. We listened and heard a loud, arrogant voice that we didn't recognize triumphantly extolling some recent accomplishment. We slipped soundlessly into the room, to behold a massive dragon at the far end. Before it was a man in a uniform and cloak with long gray hair and some soldiers. The gray-haired man referred to the beast as the Native Dragon Terrable, though from their conversation it appeared to be a clone. I shivered at the idea of someone cloning the Native Dragons—the four Dragon Gods of the world. The stranger cackled loudly, proclaiming that with the Rune Spheres, he was now able to wield the power of an Earthmate, and I felt Avani stiffen next to me. She leapt forward, demanding the return of the Spheres, and the soldiers all whirled to face her. Dylas and I placed ourselves on either side of her, weapons drawn, and faced the strange man.

He slowly turned and looked keenly at Avani, then with a malicious grin, said, "Ahh, you're Avani, the Earthmate of Selphia. I am Ethelberd, the Emperor of Sechs. So tell me, Earthmate, did you like the gift I sent to you? He couldn't have succeeded against an Earthmate, of course, but I hope you had fun with him nonetheless. Just think of him as a warm greeting."

"A… _greeting_? You… because of him, Venti and Doug are…." she replied, shocked.

"Doug?" Ethelberd said with a scowl. "Who is this Doug?"

"Sir, he's the dwarf whose clan we slaughtered before manipulating him into spying for us in Selphia," one of the soldiers reminded him.

"I don't remember anything about that," the Emperor said with a dismissive gesture.

"You—how can you _say_ that?" Avani shouted, shaking with rage and gripping her paired swords so tightly her knuckles turned white.

With another dismissive gesture, Ethelberd said, "Never mind that—take a look at _this_, Earthmate!" And with that, he moved to the side as the huge dragon stepped forward with an enraged roar as it slashed the air with its single, massive horn, opening great, dark wings tipped at the joints with cruel claws. "You see what the Rune Spheres can do? I created this clone of Terrable using their power! Impressive, isn't it?"

He strode up to the huge beast and struck him on his flanks, driving it forward. "Now, Earthmate of Selphia, show me your strength! Defeat this wraith of a God!" And with that he departed through a side door, closely followed by the other soldiers.

"As a Dragon Priest, I'm not sure how I feel about fighting even a clone of a Native Dragon, though perhaps true loyalty is shown in having the courage for remonstration," I said as I prepared for combat.

"Can't be helped now anyway," Dylas grunted, crouching for a leap. "So I say, _bring it_!" And with that, we charged as the monster bellowed a challenge.

Since Terrable was the Native Dragon over the element of earth, we had to avoid any earth-imbued weaponry—they would strengthen him rather than weaken him. Because of this, Avani utilized her wind-imbued dual blades rather than her more powerful long sword. She quickly set to hacking and slashing, using her acrobatic skills and her speed to create a veritable whirlwind around his head and neck, confusing and enraging the beast. Dylas drove in a series of kicks and punches on his flanks, and I cast Dual Sonic repeatedly, sending blades of wind energy slashing over and around him.

The Terrable-clone fought back with a fury, swiping at us with his long horn and his powerful tail and trying to crush us with his huge claws, but our onslaught soon began to take its toll. Nevertheless, he managed to knock Avani down with his tail, and as she lay helpless, temporarily stunned by his blow, he reared back, preparing to gore her with his horn. With a shout, I dove in with my spear leveled at his exposed belly, driving it in with all my might. Screaming in agony, he swiped at me with one of his spiked wings, rending my armor and sending me flying through the air. I hit something hard, and everything went black.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	15. Chapter 15

The next thing I knew, I heard voices, though I couldn't resolve them into words right away. I was aware of a terrible pain in my head and my chest, and that I lay on something cold and hard and damp, though my head seemed to rest on something softer. I felt a hand stroking my head gently, and after a moment, I recognized Avani's voice, sounding strange and shaky. I realized where I was, and that my head was lying on her lap as she cast a healing spell on me. I opened my eyes, and heard her exclaim, "He's coming around!"

Dylas's voice came from behind her, saying, "See? I told you, he's tougher than you gave him credit."

"What… what happened?" I groaned. "I feel terrible."

"That'll keep until later," Dylas said, coming over and crouching down next to me, peering into my face. "His eyes look okay, Avani. He must be even more hard headed than you."

I felt droplets of water land on my face and brushed them away, only to discover my cheeks were wet. As I looked up, scowling, for the source of the drips, I realized that they were tears falling from Avani's eyes as she silently wept. "Hey," I said, trying to sound natural. "No crying allowed."

"I'm sorry... I couldn't help myself," she said weakly, wiping her eyes with her arm. "I was just so worried when I saw you lying unconscious and bleeding. It's such a relief that you're okay."

"What's considered 'okay' must have changed somewhat since my time," I groaned, closing my eyes again. I felt her shake slightly with a repressed laugh, then she continued healing me.

When she stopped, I sat up, still groggy but much improved. She looked drained, probably from combat as well as from the effort of healing me. She still had tears in her eyes, suddenly reminding me with a pang of other tear-filled eyes from long ago. I couldn't bear to see women cry, yet I seemed doomed to be the cause of their tears time and time again.

I looked around and, seeing that the Terrable-clone was gone, again asked what happened. Before either of them could fill me in, though, Arthur appeared in the doorway to the chamber. We looked at him in surprise, and he explained that after Avani's report the night before, he'd decided to follow us, to see for himself what was going on.

Avani filled him in on the confrontation with Ethelberd, and Arthur looked grave. "I see. I hadn't realized just how serious the situation had become. I'll inform the capitol… but for now, I've been ordered to find you and bring you back to Selphia, to assist with our defenses there until reinforcements arrive—which, knowing how things go in the capitol, will take some time." He paced for a few minutes, his brow furrowed in thought. "But if I bring you back now as ordered, then we may lose track of Ethelberd. He already has the advantage in terms of time and planning. And we _need_ those Rune Spheres."

Avani stood before Arthur, saying, "Is the town safe right now, Arthur?"

"Oh yes, Forte has been doing a splendid job," he assured her.

"Then I'll continue the chase!" she exclaimed, a look of steely determination in her eyes. "If I can keep them running, that will buy time for the reinforcements to arrive, won't it? And besides—I promised Venti that I'd recover the Spheres. I… I miss her. I want to goof around with her again, argue with her, tell her silly jokes and funny stories. I… want to see her smile again. So please, let me go."

Arthur smiled, and said, "That's exactly what I'd hoped you'd say. You never disappoint me. We need more information on what the Sechs are up to, and you, Avani, are the warrior best suited for this task. I know I can rely on you. Therefore, I ask you—as your prince, and as your friend—to accept this task."

Avani grinned as she replied, "Just leave it to me! I won't let them get away with this."

"That's the spirit! I would think they're making their way towards the border. The only way to cross between the kingdoms by land in this region is via the Maya Road. That's dangerous terrain, so please be cautious. And… don't push yourself too hard, Avani. I advise you to break camp and return to town to rest up and re-equip yourselves for the journey. Assuming that your companions intend to continue with you, that is?" He looked at us inquiringly.

"She couldn't leave me behind if she tried," Dylas said grimly.

"I could use a good night's sleep, as I'm a little tired," I mused. "But certainly I'll go along—this has been a rather entertaining diversion," I said with a smile.

Arthur shot me a keen look, then nodded his head. "Then I'll see you all back in town soon. Please inform me when you are ready to depart, Avani." And with that, he departed.

Avani stood, lost in thought for a few minutes, until Dylas suggested we return to camp and then back to town. She started a little at his voice, then replied, "Yes, let's. Leon, can you walk? Do you need help?"

"I think I can manage walking—it's fighting that I'm not at all sure about," I replied, rubbing my aching head.

"You aren't completely healed yet—I had all but drained my resources when Arthur interrupted us," she replied. "Let's get back to town, and we'll get you fixed up." Using the warp point, which did indeed return us to the cave mouth, we returned to camp without any difficulty. We broke camp, and Avani cast Escape to return us all to her rooms in town.

Depositing her gear, Avani gently but firmly pushed me towards her bed, telling me to lie down and rest. I thought about protesting, but the pain in my head and chest convinced me otherwise. Meanwhile, she and Dylas unpacked our bags, sorting equipment and clothing into piles that needed washing or repairs and putting foodstuffs and medicines away. She fed Baldur and sent him back to the stable with an affectionate pat. While she went to discuss laundering and mending needs with Volkanon, Dylas cooked up a curry over rice from what she had on hand.

When she returned, she insisted on feeding me. She sat on the bed, holding my head propped up on her lap, and fed me bites of the curry and rice until I'd had enough. Dylas sat at the foot of the bed, watching us as he ate. In between bites, he filled me in on what had happened—I remembered spearing the dragon and getting knocked off my feet, but that's all I knew. He said that my blow had critically injured the dragon, so they'd quickly finished him off and rushed over to where I lay.

"You were hurt pretty badly," he said, scowling at the memory. "You'd hit the back of your head against one of the metal columns in the room, and you were bleeding pretty heavily when we reached you. Avani was scared to death she wouldn't be able to heal you quickly enough to save you. She had to cast several healing spells on you before you even woke up."

"So I guess I owe you my life, then, eh?" I said, smiling weakly up at her. I was surprised when she shook her head, but she seemed to have choked up at Dylas's recounting of the end of the battle, and tears again filled her eyes as she mutely fed me another bite.

"Well, you see," Dylas continued, looking away, "_you_ saved _her_ life, and nearly at the cost of your own. Terrable was about to skewer her with that damned horn of his, when you rushed in and got him first. I couldn't have gotten to him quickly enough, and I'm not sure I could have turned him aside in time if I had. But you did it." Then he turned to me again with an odd look in his eyes, and said, "Thanks, Leon, for saving her. Again."

After she'd finished feeding me and had eaten her own meal, Avani had recovered enough energy to resume healing me. She again sat on the bed with my head on her lap, and gently cupping my face in her hands, she began the incantations. It took a few repetitions before I finally felt more or less like myself again. I stood up and gingerly felt the back of my head, realizing that although my wounds were closed and healed, I had blood matted in my hair. I examined my chest for the first time since waking back in the cavern, and was surprised to see that my armor had been slashed wide open. I could still see the traces of a wound across my chest, and assumed from the blood soaked into my clothing and smeared down my torso that I'd had a pretty good wound there, too. For the first time, too, I noticed the large blood stain on Avani's clothing where my head had rested on her lap. It seemed Dylas's description had not been an exaggeration.

"Well," I said after I finished my examination, "it looks like I was a bit of a mess." Avani made an oddly strangled sound, as if she was trying to both laugh and cry at the same time. She came up to me and placed her hands on my shoulders, leaning her head tiredly against my chest as she cast one final healing spell. When I looked, the last traces of my wounds were gone. I looked up and saw Dylas watching us, a pained look in his eyes. He saw me looking at him and turned away without a word.

Afterwards, Avani was once again drained, and she declared that she needed a good soak in a hot bath—and that so did we. We went to the baths at the inn together, stopping for clean clothing first. Dylas assisted me with washing up before entering the soaking tub, gently washing the dried blood from my hair and my back, which apparently had also been injured when I had hit that column. Then he stuck close by while we soaked in the large pool of hot water, in case I felt dizzy, I supposed. It felt great to just sit and soak my tired, aching muscles, and from the relaxed look on his face, I suspected Dylas felt the same. We soaked for some time, until we heard sounds of Avani finishing her bath over on the ladies' side. We dressed and waited for her in the lobby of the hotel, sipping cold drinks as we waited. She joined us a few minutes later, and we headed back to the castle.

I had planned to gather up my things and return to my room at the inn, but Avani stopped me. "No way, Leon. I don't want you climbing up all those stairs alone. For tonight at least, you'll sleep here. You can have the sofa or the chaise in the study—whichever you prefer—but you're staying here," she said firmly.

"There's no need for that, Avani," I assured her. "I'm perfectly fine now. Don't underestimate your skills as a healer. Besides," I added as she opened her mouth to protest. "As charming as your daybed is, I'll be far more comfortable in my own bed. And I have some translations that I need to work on, too, now that I'm back in town." She wavered, and I continued with a smile, saying, "Furthermore, I'm sure Dylas will be delighted to keep you company tonight, and I'm equally sure the two of you could use some… 'quality time', anyway. I promise I'll send word to you if anything happens."

With a sigh, she reluctantly agreed, asking me to just be sure to take it easy. "You can leave your equipment here if you want," she added. "I have plenty of room to store it for you. You'll be getting better stuff soon, anyway." I took her up on her offer, grabbed the rest of my things, and said good night. When I looked back, they were standing at her door, Dylas behind her with his arms wrapped around her. They waved, and as I waved back, he leaned down to nuzzle her neck, then swept her up in his arms and closed the door behind them. I returned to my solitary room, with only my foxes for company.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	16. Chapter 16

I slept late the next morning, enjoying the luxury of a comfortable bed after several nights of sleeping on a firm mat on the ground. Xiao brought up a breakfast tray to me after I'd risen, and I dined at my desk, sipping tea and tearing pieces off one of Lin's large, soft rolls. As I ate, I reread the translation work I'd finished so far, reminding myself of my progress, then I got to work on the remainder of the text. After the excitement of the past few days, though, I found it difficult to focus on such a quiet activity. So after a while, I set it aside and went to bathe and get some lunch.

At Porcoline's restaurant, I found Dylas waiting on tables. "Hey," he said as I came in. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thanks to Avani's healing skills. Speaking of whom, where is she? I haven't seen her around today."

"I'm not sure," he replied with a frown. "I've been working. Last I saw her, she was hurrying by on her way to Arthur's, probably for a meeting, but that was a few hours ago. I haven't talked to her since last night." He shrugged, then as he returned to work, he said, "I'm sure she's around. She just has a lot to do right now."

I was surprised, as I'd come to think of them as practically joined at the hip, and said, "Oh? I thought you'd spent the night with her."

He scowled slightly, replying, "No, didn't work out that way. She said she was tired and had a lot to think over and to do and needed some time to herself for a few days. So I'm back here in my room for now." Then he abruptly turned away, signaling an end to the conversation.

I didn't see her all that day, nor the next. I began to miss her—miss teasing her, her quick and clever comebacks, the cute way she'd blush when flustered or embarrassed, her sweet but frank and unabashed nature, her kindness, and most of all, her brilliant smile. I wondered what kept her so busy that she couldn't even stop to say hi to me, let alone Dylas.

On the third day, I spotted her in the lobby of the hotel, just emerging from the baths as I came down the stairs. I felt myself brightening up at the sight of her, and called a greeting to her. To my surprise, though, she just waved and quickly ran out the door without so much as a word to me. Startled, I stood pondering her strange behavior for a minute, then asked Xiao if she'd noticed Avani acting oddly recently.

She looked surprised, but thought it over before saying that she'd seemed pretty normal, just a little distracted. "But that is to be expected, yes? So much rests on her shoulders." she asked, giving me a curious look.

"Perhaps," I said, staring out the door where she'd disappeared, then looking down at Xiao with a smile. "I just hope she realizes she doesn't have to bear her burden alone."

After lunch, I asked Dylas if he wanted to go do some training that afternoon. "I don't know about you," I said, "But I want to keep in shape, and I haven't done much the past few days."

"Can't today," was the slightly terse reply. "Too busy with work."

"Oh?" I replied. "That's too bad. Guess I'll have to find someone else or go it alone, then—you're busy, and I haven't seen Avani around since we returned to town."

He looked at me sharply, saying, "You haven't?"

"No, why? Is something wrong?" I asked, feeling puzzled. "All I've seen of her was just her running out of the inn as I came downstairs. She didn't even return my greeting, beyond just a quick wave as she disappeared out the door. So I couldn't have said if she looked well or not."

Dylas looked at me sadly, then said, "I haven't seen much of her, either. She's been busy…. And whenever I do see her, she's preoccupied. I guess she really has a lot on her mind right now."

I decided to track her down, wanting to be sure she was okay and to see if she wanted to go out to do some training with me. I finally found her in her rooms, working feverishly at her forge. "Honing your blacksmith skills?" I asked, leaning against the doorway watching her. She jumped at the sound of my voice and whirled around to face me. She looked pale, perhaps even unwell. Taking a step forward and feeling more than a little concerned by her appearance, I said, "Hey, are you okay? You aren't overdoing things, are you?"

She quickly looked away and turned back to her work. "I'm fine. Really. There's just a lot to do. Dylas keeps getting after me to eat and sleep, though, so I'll be fine," she said tiredly as she lifted the sword she'd been working on to examine it.

I scowled; she didn't look or act at all like herself, and I found that worrisome. I walked over to her and gently removed the blade from her hand. "Look," I said. "You're wearing yourself out. You need a break, or you'll make yourself sick. I'm worried about you, and I know Dylas is, too. So take a day off, okay?"

To my surprise, she shrank away from me, refusing to look me in the eyes. "Avani, what happened? You're not acting like yourself at all," I said, my concern deepening. She just shook her head, opened her mouth as if to say something, then turned and fled the room, leaving me standing there with my mouth hanging open, too surprised to say anything.

I found her a short while later in Venti's chamber, nestled up to the slumbering dragon, leaning her cheek against the smooth scales of her neck. She looked like she'd been crying—her eyes were closed, but there was a suspicious moisture on her cheeks. She didn't see or hear me, so I withdrew silently, not wanting to disturb either of them.

I returned to her room, though, and penned a quick note apologizing if I'd inadvertently caused her distress earlier and reminding her that as her friend, I was there to listen anytime she wanted and that I'd do whatever I could to help her. I left it on her kitchen table and left. It had begun to rain, so I took the shortcut through her garden to return to my room at the inn. Again, I tried to focus on my translation work, but again, I found myself too restless and distracted to accomplish much.

I went to Porcoline's for my supper, running to hurry and get out of the cold autumn rain. I enjoyed a leisurely meal, extended by a few cups of coffee afterwards as I delayed my departure, hoping the rain would clear up. It didn't, so eventually I gave up and made a run for it. When I reached the inn, I was taken aback to find Avani waiting for me in the rain outside the inn's doors. She was soaked to the bone, so with an exclamation of dismay, I attempted to pull her into the inn. "W-w-wait," she said, shivering and her teeth chattering, "I want to t-talk with you. That's why I've b-been waiting here for you. C-can we go somewhere p-p-private?"

"Avani," I replied, firmly dragging her towards the door, "You're soaking wet and half frozen, and you'll get sick if you don't get out of those wet clothes and warmed up soon. Whatever you want to talk about, it can wait a little longer." Looking downcast, she nodded and allowed me to lead her inside. I found Xiao and asked her to see to her, to help her out of her wet things and into the hot bath. Then I went and found Clorica and asked her if she would please get a dry change of clothes and bring them to the bathhouse for her, and to collect her wet things as well.

After some time, she emerged, looking warmer but still upset—she kept her eyes down and refused to look at me. "What did you want to talk about?" I asked her, wondering what could have her so down.

"Not… not here. Can we please go somewhere more private?" she asked, still not looking at me.

I thought for a minute, then said, "Well, with this rain, anywhere outside is out of the question. So I guess that leaves my room or yours. So let's go to your room—at least then I can be sure you get back safely." She nodded and turned towards the door. I quickly borrowed an umbrella from Lin and caught up to her, opening the umbrella over her as we stepped out into the rain.

We walked in silence to her suite of rooms. Once there, I turned to her and asked, "Well? What did you want to talk about?" Not answering my question, she walked to her fireplace, threw a couple more logs on the low fire, and sat down in one of the chairs. She looked up at me anxiously and asked me to sit. I sat in the chair opposite her and waited, feeling both curious and slightly impatient at her uncharacteristic refusal to get to the point.

After another few moments of silence, I said, "Well? Is something wrong? Has something happened between you and Dylas?"

Startled, she shook her head vigorously, then said, "No! Or maybe yes…. A little bit of both maybe." She sighed, then looked at me miserably.

"Well, you certainly don't look very happy, I must say," I commented, puzzled.

She sighed again, heavily, then clenching her fists until her knuckles turned white, she looked me in the eyes and said, "Leon... I… I love you."

Shocked, I leaned back in my seat, narrowing my eyes at her. "Is… is this some sort of joke? You can't be serious," I said, numbly.

"I know. I didn't intend for it to happen—one doesn't, you know. And when I realized what was going on, I tried to deny it. But… but I can't pretend anymore. I'm sorry. I know you don't feel the same way, but I had to tell you… in case maybe somehow I was wrong, and you did, after all." Tears filled her eyes as she looked away and into the crackling fire. "But it seems that was a vain hope. I'm sorry, Leon. I couldn't help it. I tried…."

I came over to her and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. "You just caught me by surprise, that's all," I said slowly. "I… I need a little time. I know what my answer will be, but… I need time to clear my head and choose my words. So will you meet me here tomorrow at, say, 10:00? I'll have my answer for you by then." Without looking up, she nodded, and I left, forgetting to grab Lin's umbrella in my confusion.

When I reached the inn, I asked Lin to send up a cup of mulled wine—I felt that I needed something a little more fortifying than tea tonight. I sat in my room, sipping the hot, spiced wine and thinking about Avani… and about Maria. And I knew what I had to say, though I felt as though it would tear me to pieces to say it.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	17. Chapter 17

**AN:** Sorry, this is a little on the short side, but I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for reading, I'd love to hear what you think of the story so far!

* * *

><p>The next morning, I arrived at Avani's rooms shortly before 10:00. She was there, waiting for me, pacing nervously. I'd never seen her so hesitant, so uncertain, and I felt both flattered and guilty to be the cause. As I walked in, Clorica appeared in the doorway leading to the rest of the castle, and glancing at me, asked if this was a good time to tidy up the room. Glancing anxiously at me, Avani replied "Well… maybe not the best time. Will you come back later, please?"<p>

Clorica looked sleepily surprised, but only said, "Sure, I can do that. I'll check back after I run some errands and prepare lunch." With that, she left.

Avani sat down on a chair by the fire, and I sat in the chair opposite to her. After a moment, she looked up at me. Her eyes were rimmed with red, and she had dark circles that suggested she had slept poorly, if at all. "Well?" she asked, "May I have your answer?"

"First, I need to ask, you are serious about this, aren't you? You're honestly not just pulling my leg?" I inquired.

She looked straight into my eyes, and replied, "Yes. I'm very serious."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair, dreading what had to come next. "Well, then I will respond in like kind." I stood up and walked over to her, picked up her hands in mine, and looked her in the eyes. "I'm sorry, Avani. I can't be your lover."

She looked down into the fire, saying, "Oh… I see. Then… then you don't feel the same as I do."

"No, it's not that I don't feel anything for you," I continued. "How can I help it, after all you've done for me, all you've taught me? You are the one who showed me what it really means to care deeply for another, the one who taught me what it truly means to love someone."

She looked quickly back at me, confused and slightly flushed, saying, "Then… why?"

I knelt before her, still holding her hands in mine, and tried to explain. "There are two reason it can't work. First, you already have a lover—someone whom I've come to regard as a friend. I can't just ignore that. It would hurt him deeply to lose you. And second, I swore long ago that I'd never marry. So as courtship is merely a forerunner to marriage, it follows that I also cannot enter into a romantic relationship, with you or anyone else." I stood up and released her hands. "So you see, I can't accept. I'm sorry, Avani. I truly am. We can remain friends—I very much hope we will—but nothing more. Please, just… give up on me." I felt as though my heart was dying inside me as I watched her, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes as she stared with unseeing eyes into the flames.

She sat staring wordlessly for a little while, then slowly said, "Hypothetically speaking, if neither of those objections was an issue… then what would your answer be? How do you feel about me, really? Would you want to be with me, or are those just excuses? Would you simply find more reasons to turn me down?"

"It's a moot point," I said. "But if—_if_—Dylas wasn't already your lover, and _if_ I hadn't made that vow so very long ago… then there is nothing I can think of that I would want more than to be with you. But that isn't the case, so as I said, it's irrelevant."

She jumped to her feet, and with a fiery look in her eyes, she said, "Then if you want me even half as much as I want you, why let that stop us? Yes, Dylas is my lover. But that doesn't _have_ to change, does it? Where is it written that I can't have two lovers—or even more, for that matter? If you and he can live with such an arrangement, then why should it be an obstacle? And if he can't accept it, I won't try to make him stay—the choice would be his. And as for marriage, I'm asking you to become my _lover_, not my _husband_. I don't know what it was like in your time, and for that matter, I'm none too sure about _this_ time, thanks to my amnesia. But I don't feel like I need to marry you in order to be with you. I won't try to tie you down, if you'll agree to do the same for me."

I looked at her, surprised—perhaps shocked, even—by her suggestion. "Are… are you sure you'd be okay with that?" I asked her, hesitantly.

"Yes. I'm certain. Very certain," she replied.

"And what would you do about Dylas? I couldn't possibly agree to see you behind his back," I asked dubiously. "I like him too well to do anything like that. I'd feel badly enough as it is. Besides, clandestine affairs aren't really my style, anyway. If I were to be with somebody, I wouldn't want to hide it—I'd want everyone to know."

"I'll tell him, of course," she answered, looking surprised. "I'd _never_ sneak around like that. The only reason I haven't told him anything so far is that I didn't have anything _to_ tell him. I'm sure he won't be thrilled… and I know he's kind of getting the short end of the stick, since he didn't bargain for this back when I asked him to be my lover. But to be honest… I think he knew how I felt about you even before I did. So I don't think this will come as a surprise."

I looked at her, feeling my spirits lifting at the sight of her looking so fiercely determined to have me despite all obstacles. "Well, well. You certainly are entertaining," I said as I broke into a grin. I ruffled up her hair, ignoring her protests, and said, "I'm not sure how I feel about sharing someone as adorable as you, but I'm willing to give it a shot…" I pulled her to me and enfolded her in an embrace, whispering "…and thank you," into her hair before releasing her.

Soon afterwards, I returned to my room, leaving her to the task of bringing Dylas up to date. I was rather dreading my next meeting with him—I really did like the taciturn younger man, and I enjoyed his companionship. I knew that my weakness for Avani had placed that friendship in jeopardy. I remembered the conversation we'd had in my room some time ago, regarding his feelings for her—how he didn't think that they were destined to remain together, and that he'd be glad just for her to be happy. I wondered if he'd still feel the same once those assertions were put to the test. Although the idea of Avani maintaining two lovers didn't thrill me, at the same time, I thought that if it made her and Dylas happy to stay together, I could certainly bear sharing her. After all, if I wasn't giving myself to her wholly and completely, I couldn't very well ask her to do so for me.

That evening, Dylas came to my room. He walked in, looking perturbed. "So," he said, "Avani's taken you as a lover, too, I hear."

"So it would seem," I replied cautiously as I stood, uncertain what his mood was.

"I don't like the idea of sharing her with you—or anyone—but I guess it's better than losing her all together. And I guess it could have been worse… at least she didn't pick Doug."

I gave a half smile at the thought of such a love triangle, then said, "I know, and I'm sorry. I did try to resist—but in the end, I found it impossible to refuse her. I'm taking the view that we both have the goal of seeing her happy and of looking out for her. And I hope we can continue to be friends—it makes working together easier, if nothing else."

"Yeah," he said, scowling at me. "I just have one thing to say first…." And with that, he punched me in the gut. I doubled over and sank to the floor, gasping, the breath knocked clean out of me. He looked down at me, his face expressionless, and said, "There. That's all. Now we're cool again." And with that, he turned and left.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters are my own invention.


	18. Chapter 18

The next morning, Avani came by my room after her customary bath. "Has Dylas come to see you yet? He said he wanted to talk about some things with you after we had our discussion yesterday."

"Yes," I replied, "he came around last night. His syntax was a little crude, but he got the point across pretty clearly." She gave me a puzzled look, and I smiled at her, saying, "Don't fret. I think we're okay. Now it's up to you to deal with having not one but two lovers on your hands."

She blushed furiously—ye gods, she was adorable when she blushed—and changed the subject. "So… during all that time when I was trying to sort things out in my head and avoiding both you and Dylas, I also got a lot of work done at my forge. Do you want to come around and see what I have for you?"

"I'd love to come to your room and see what you have in store for me there," I replied with a wicked grin. Avani rewarded me with another blush, and off we went.

She had indeed made substantial progress with her blacksmithing skills—she must have been at work night and day at her forge, hammering out metal while she attempted to hammer out her emotions. She had forged a new spear for me—a sturdy, improved style of corseque that she said was imbued with both poison and with Light magic. She had also crafted some higher-quality armor, boots, and a shield.

As I tried on the gear to check the fit—which was perfect—Dylas walked in. He strolled up, giving me a not-altogether-unfriendly nod and smiling at Avani. "Hey, perfect timing!" Avani exclaimed. She turned back to the shelves where she kept her projects and materials, and after a moment, pulled out some massive, weighted gloves and tossed them to him.

He turned them over in his hand, complimenting her improved skill, and then tried them on. "They're imbued with Earth magic and made using some special stones that increase your chances of landing a critically damaging blow." She had new boots and armor for him, too—the same as mine, only sized differently. Dylas was taller than me by a few inches, and he had a bulkier build.

"Now," she said, lifting a scale vest over her head and fastening a feathered talisman around her neck, tucking it down between her shirt and the armor, "if you're both free, why don't we go take our new gear for a trial run? I want to check out where this Maya Road is located, for one thing, and for another, I'm low on some materials after so much smithing." She fastened sheaths for her new long sword and her dual swords to her belt and looked up at us.

"I'm game," I said with a grin, and began to equip myself.

"Yeah, sure. It's a slow day at the restaurant anyway, so I'm sure Porcoline won't miss me," Dylas replied, likewise suiting up. Soon we were heading to the airship, which we took to the Delirium Lava Ruins. Avani hoped to find some ore there in the volcanic caverns, and there were plenty of moderately tough battles to fight, too.

This was my first trip through the Ruins, and I was amazed that Avani was able to keep such a good pace through the rough terrain and the oppressive heat. Some caverns contained no more than stone bridges surrounded by pools of molten rock, and the heat was so intense in some of these that it was injurious to just be in the cavern. In some places, bursts of flame shot out of small cracks or holes in the ground. The denizens of these caverns ranged from buffaloos and palm cats on the upper levels near the opening, to trolls and the malicious fire spirits known as ignes in the lower, deeper caverns.

In one of the lowest, deepest caverns resided a type of great monster known as a rafflesia. It was a plant monster—sort of a mother of all plant monsters—huge, vicious, and capable of spewing toxins that could sicken, paralyze, seal magic abilities, or put to sleep anyone who received a dose of it. Long, slender vines snaked out from its base, whipping its opponents, while thick roots coiled around its opponents' feet. Its head was a single massive bloom consisting of two huge petals, both edged with tooth-like serrations.

I started with my spear, but it seemed resistant to the toxins. So instead I fell back and started hitting it with an onslaught of spells, alternating between Water and Wind attacks. Dylas unleashed his trademark series of kicks and punches, and Avani whirled around it in a frenzy with her dual swords, slashing the writhing vines and roots into pieces before attacking the main stalk. Before long, the battle was over and it was on its way back to the Forest of Beginnings.

Avani quickly ported us out of there, and we emerged from the suffocating heat of the caves into the cool, moist air of a perpetual autumn. She had found some decent deposits of ores in there—enough to at least partly replenish her supplies—and was satisfied with the day's efforts.

From the cave opening, we made our way roughly west along the Autumn Road until eventually we turned south to follow a new path. A ways farther along the road, we reached a bridge where we discovered a single Sechs soldier standing guard, who dashed across as soon as he spotted us coming. Before we could follow, however, he succeeded in triggering explosives of some sort, blowing up the bridge and leaving us no way to reach the Maya Road just beyond the deep chasm.

However, that was of lesser concern right then. Avani had just begun to run across the bridge in hot pursuit of the soldier when the explosives went off, throwing her back in the blast. She landed some distance from the edge, injured and unconscious but alive. I ran to her and did a quick examination for broken bones, and upon finding no obvious sign of breakage, told Dylas to lift her, very carefully, in his arms so that I could cast Escape—I didn't want to run the risk of reinforcements arriving while trying to heal her, especially as I only had enough energy to cast it once at most, after spending the day engaged in magical combat.

We returned to her rooms, Dylas still carrying her gently while I followed with the gear she'd dropped in the blast. He set her gently on her bed, and I cast a healing spell on her. That left me drained and weak, but at least it was enough to make her more comfortable for the moment. Dylas changed her out of her armor and scorched clothing, hesitating a moment as he looked at me, then shrugging as he muttered somewhat dourly, "Well, I suppose that if you haven't seen her undressed yet, you will sooner or later."

She had some fairly painful looking burns, though I wasn't sure which were from the explosion and which were from the fiery Ruins. I knew I could heal her injuries—once I'd had some food and rest to restore my depleted energy. As Dylas gently tucked her into bed, she stirred as if awakening, but after opening her eyes briefly, she closed them tightly again as if the light pained her. A moment later, as we quietly discussed how to best keep an eye on her while still getting the rest we needed to recuperate from our own injuries, she said simply, in a low, rasping voice, "Please don't leave me."

We looked at each other, uncertain to whom she was speaking, and Dylas kneeled down next to her bed, saying, "Who, Avani? Who do you want not to leave?"

"Both of you," she replied, barely above a whisper as she slipped back into sleep.

"Uhh… I…." he said, looking startled, first at her and then at me.

"Well… why not?" I said thoughtfully. "If that's what she wants right now. It's quite a large bed. You can sleep on one side of her and I'll sleep on the other. I think there's plenty of room. We all slept fairly closely—though admittedly not _that_ closely—together when we were camping. And it'll allow us all to rest while keeping her close enough to monitor her."

He thought about it for a minute, then tersely nodded agreement. "Fine. We can give it a try," he said, standing.

"Then I'll head over to the inn to pick up a few things, and I'll also stop to fill Arthur in on the destruction of the bridge. I'll be back shortly," I said as I turned towards her back door.

After I stopped by my room to pick up some pyjamas and a change of clothing—mine reeked of smoke and sulfur from the Ruins—I headed to Arthur's rooms, Sano and Uno following behind. He looked grave when I told him of the evening's events—the soldiers blowing up the bridge and Avani's resulting injuries. I told him that she should be better in the morning and could come discuss the situation with him then, but that I'd wanted him to know as soon as possible. He thanked me, and I returned to the castle.

When I arrived, Dylas was in the process of making a simple dinner for us. He'd broiled some fish for me and made some porridge for himself, setting aside a portion for Avani should she want it. Meanwhile, my foxes scurried around, yipping in concern at Avani's condition, before finally settling down nestled up against her, their noses resting on their paws as they watched her in a silent vigil. Dylas, of course, was unable to see or hear them; I wondered if Avani was aware of them on some level as she slept.

We ate, saying little as we both were near exhaustion by then. After we finished, I washed up while Dylas took some porridge and tried to awaken Avani to feed her. She was too deeply asleep though, so after a few attempts he gave up. We changed into pyjamas—apparently he kept some spare clothing there—and then looked at the bed and then each other.

"I'll… umm, I guess I'll take the side against the wall." Dylas said, climbing in carefully on Avani's far side. He gently pulled her nearer to the center to make room for me, and I climbed in on the other side. She lay partly curled into a semi-fetal position, facing Dylas. I spooned in behind her and wrapped an arm around her torso; Dylas lay on his side facing her, his arm lying across her waist below mine. "This, uhh… this feels kinda weird," Dylas whispered over her head.

"Oh?" I replied with a yawn as my foxes settled down again at our feet. "Well, I expect we'll adjust to it soon enough. Besides, we won't even notice in our sleep."

"I… guess not. G'night then," he said, but I fell asleep before I could reply.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	19. Chapter 19

**AN:** I'll be honest, the subplot that begins later in this chapter was a little painful for me to write. Nevertheless, I think it was an interesting idea, and I'm pleased with how it all came out. I hope you enjoy it, too, and I'd love to hear what you think of it!

**AN2:** Oh, sometime in the next 3-4 chapters, there will be some lemons appearing. So **tomorrow I'll be changing the rating to M**. That means you'll have to either set the search filter to M or All stories (since it defaults to K-T), or else just follow the story to be notified of updates. Thanks for reading!

* * *

><p>When I awoke in the dim light of the late autumn pre-dawn, I found myself lying on my back, Avani curled up against me with my arm around her shoulders and her arm flung over my stomach, still sound asleep. Dylas likewise lay sound asleep, spooned up to her with an arm draped over her waist. Still feeling tired from the day before, I closed my eyes and had just started to doze off again when suddenly Vishnal bounded into the room.<p>

"It's morning, Princess! Time to get up!" he called out in his eager, cheerful voice as he first tended to the fire, building it back up for the day. He trotted over to the bed, then stopped and blushed furiously at the sight of the three of us all sleeping together. "Oh! Uhh… a-am I interrupting anything?" he stammered.

"Just our blissful repose," I yawned. "Let us sleep, Vishnal, would you please? Your beloved Princess is still recovering from yesterday's injuries." I closed my eyes and again drifted off as the young butler slipped back out of the room, quietly stammering an apology for disturbing us.

Some time later, I was startled awake by Avani suddenly clutching me tightly, her nails digging painfully into my side, apparently in the throes of a nightmare. She whimpered, and as I looked over at her, I was startled to see tears streaming from her tightly closed eyes. She murmured incoherently, shivering as if cold or frightened. Suddenly she gasped and shoved against me so hard I was nearly pushed out of bed, and she moaned "No, Bhima, don't… please… not…" before beginning to sob in her sleep. Then she sat bolt upright, screaming "Rishi!" as she awoke, staring blankly with dazed, unseeing eyes.

Dylas jumped up, startled out of his sound sleep, and I put my arms around her and attempted to soothe her. "Hey, it's okay now. You were having a bad dream. Shhh, you're okay," I whispered as I held her and stroked her hair as she sat, rigid and trembling at first, then gradually relaxing as she awakened.

"What the hell happened?" Dylas asked, bewildered and still half-asleep.

"Avani had a nightmare," I explained. "What was it? Do you want to tell us about it?" I asked her.

"I… I don't know. I don't remember it. I remember being terrified, but not why," she replied, still looking confused but no longer quite as frightened.

"So who's Rishi, then?" Dylas asked, stifling a yawn.

"Rishi?" she repeated. "I've no idea; why are you asking me?"

"You were yelling that name—that's what woke me up," Dylas replied, looking at her in surprise. "Don't you remember?"

"No… I don't remember saying anything, and I don't recognize that name," she replied slowly.

"You also mentioned someone named Bhima before that," I added. "Does that ring a bell?" She just shook her head, looking troubled. "Hmmm… interesting," I said, giving her a thoughtful look.

Dylas suggested that he make breakfast for us, and I proposed that afterwards, we take Avani to see Jones to be sure she was mending satisfactorily. We dressed, then Dylas went to cook while I sat on the sofa and held Avani in my arms to cast a healing spell on her. It took a few repeats before she began to look like herself again, and by then Dylas was bring breakfast out.

He looked at us as he set a couple of cups of coffee on the small table in front of the fireplace, and asked, "Why do you need to hold on to her to heal her? Avani doesn't usually hold the people she heals. Does it work better that way? Or is she a higher level healer than you?"

I grinned, and said, "No, as far as I know it doesn't make any difference. I just wanted to hold her, that's all." Dylas snorted and stalked back into the kitchen as I laughed at Avani's reddening cheeks.

Dylas had cooked a quick breakfast of hot cereal for Avani and himself, though he'd thoughtfully grilled some squid for me instead. We sat all together on the sofa before the fire, eating our breakfasts and sipping our coffee. We all seemed to be in somewhat pensive moods, and it was a quiet meal.

Afterwards, I cleaned up in the kitchen, giving Dylas a turn to be alone for a few minutes with Avani. When I returned with more coffee after I'd finished, they were sitting together on the sofa, his arm tightly around her shoulders—protective as always. I refilled their cups and mine, washed the empty coffee pot, and then joined them.

After we finished our coffee, we left for the clinic. Jones examined Avani carefully, and pronounced her fit, with only minimal ill effects that should be gone within a day or two. Then when he had completed her examination, I brought up her nightmare and the names she had spoken in her sleep. Jones found that as interesting as I had, and he asked some questions about exactly what had happened in the explosion. He sat and thought for several minutes, absently tapping a pencil against the desk at which he was seated.

"It's just possible," he said finally, "that the explosion and the subsequent blow to your head were enough to jolt some of your memories free. But I'm at a loss as to why so little and only in your subconscious. I'll do some research, but I've never heard of anything quite like that before. Meanwhile, as always, I suggest you don't worry about the past and just focus on the here and now. You're young—you have your whole life before you. It would be a pity to wake up one day and find life had passed you by while you were busy looking backwards, wouldn't it?" Avani nodded, and Jones continued, saying, "You know, those are pretty unusual names. If you wanted, I would think Arthur could make some inquiries on your behalf, trying to track them down."

Her eyes widened, and she vigorously shook her head, saying, "No, I don't think I want to do that." He looked at her, surprised, and she explained, "You see, I can't remember the names or the dream or anything. But whatever it was that I dreamed scared me so badly that I still feel my blood running cold. So… I don't think I want to find them, for now at least. Maybe someday I'll get the memories back all the way, and then that might change. But for now, I think I'll try my best to let go of the past. That's what everyone always advises me to do, anyway, isn't it?"

It took a couple more days before Avani was fully recovered from the explosion. Dylas and I continued to sleep with her each night, as she seemed to feel safer, snuggled up between the two of us. No more nightmares plagued her sleep, however, and after she'd recovered, she gently kicked us out, saying that she needed some time to herself to think. She never lost sight of her goal of retrieving the Rune Spheres and saving Venti, and now she was ready to plan her next moves, it seemed.

As he left, Dylas asked if she'd like to go out the next day for lunch, just the two of them. She absent-mindedly agreed, though I had some misgivings—she didn't seem to really hear what he was saying. Dylas didn't appear to notice, though, and took off with a smug look on his face. I shook my head as I grabbed my rucksack and strolled through the back way to the inn. Back in my room, I quickly immersed myself in a translation I'd been working on in part for Arthur and in part for myself—a book that had intrigued me as soon as I'd heard of it, written in the old script and illegible to most in this present day.

I was hard at work on this translation the next morning when Avani stopped by. "Hey, Leon. I want to train up some of the younger, more able-bodied townsfolk, and I wondered if you'd be willing to help, especially with the magic-users? That would be Arthur, Kiel, Meg, and Dolce. How about it?"

"Hmmm…," I said, looking up from my work. "Well, I am a little busy, but I can probably spare you a few hours… _if_ you feed me dinner tonight," I said with a mischievous grin.

"Don't I always?" she replied, drily amused.

"Okay then, who's first?" I said, standing up and stretching.

"Kiel needs the most work, I think, so let's start with him if he's free. I'll need to see what gear he has—he's almost certain to need some equipment. Luckily I have quite a storeroom full of weapons, armor, and so on. Shall we track him down?"

We found Kiel nearby, on his way to the inn from Porcoline's restaurant. He enthusiastically (maybe a little _too_ enthusiastically) agreed to join her, and we took the shortcut through her garden to her rooms, where she soon had him outfitted for battle. "I want you mostly to just watch us—keep back where it's safe, and just observe and learn," Avani instructed him as we left through the same door.

"Where are we going?" I asked her, curiously, as she stopped in the middle of her garden, near a massive gourd.

"Nowhere," she said with a grin.

"Huh?" I said, confused.

She laughed, and gesturing at the gourd, she said, "Remember the raccoon demon? This was his gift to me: a field dungeon seed. I've grown a dungeon right in my backyard—and it changes each time I go in, too. Perfect for training, don't you think?"

I was intrigued—I'd never heard of such a thing before. I looked it over, noting that it had a large opening in one side from which faint screeches and howls emanated. "Ready?" she asked, grabbing her dual swords. "Let's go!" And with that, she plunged into the opening, Kiel and I close behind her.

The dungeon consisted of a variety of winding paths populated by a wide variety of monsters, ranging from little Woolies and Cluckadoodles clear up to the final monster of the fourth and final level—a Greater Daemon. Kiel stayed back as promised, except with some of the smaller beasts. Even so, he took some near-critical damage on a couple of occasions, as he just was not at all strong yet. I was sure a few days under Avani's tutelage would change that, though.

Afterwards, we returned to her rooms, where she grilled some fish for me, cut a slice of cake for Kiel, and tossed together a salad for herself. As we were sitting and eating and discussing the day's training, Avani's door suddenly burst open. Dylas stalked in, eyes blazing as he saw the three of us eating together, looking up at him with startled faces. "Dylas? What is it? What's wrong?" Avani said, rising to her feet, looking concerned. "You look furious—did Doug do something again?"

"I waited for you," he hissed through clenched teeth, "for four fucking hours. Then I spent another six hours trying to find you, thinking maybe something had happened to make you miss our date. I searched everywhere for you. I was _worried_, dammit! And now I finally find you _here_, with your _other_ loverboy. Or is Kiel now your lover, too?"

Avani turned white, and said, "Date? Did we…."

"You don't even _remember_? Damn it all, Avani, I thought you were better than that!" With that, he turned on his heel and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Avani stood there, stricken and pale, shocked at what had just happened. She turned to me, tears gathering in her bewildered eyes, and sat weakly down. She buried her face in her hands, saying, "I don't remember making a date with him—not at all!"

I put my arm around her, saying, "I'm sorry, Avani. I had completely forgotten myself, or I'd have said something this morning. Dylas invited you to lunch before he left last night, but you were so preoccupied that I don't think you even heard him. You just sort of agreed to what he said in that way people do when they're not really listening—but he didn't notice that you weren't listening. I am sorry, truly I am."

She shook her head, tears running down her cheeks, and said, "No, Leon, it's not your fault. I have to find him—I need to get this sorted out. I'm sorry. You two can stay here as long as you like—help yourself to anything in the refrigerator." And she rose and ran out the door.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	20. Chapter 20

**AN:** The inspiration for the current subplot came from a comment in a forum somewhere (I'm very sorry, I don't recall where-I was looking for something completely unrelated when I bumped into it, but the idea that sprung up from it stuck in the back of my mind). I hope you enjoy it!

**AN2:** Also, please note that the rating has changed from T to M. There will be lemons in a few days; there's a bit of swearing in this chapter (you know, Dylas and all). Thanks for reading!

* * *

><p>Kiel went home shortly after Avani left—no doubt to begin telling everyone what had happened—"to make sure there are no misunderstandings," as he no doubt would have put it. I sighed in sympathy for her, for her feelings upon discovering that her very private affairs had been made public, and sat down with a book to wait for her return.<p>

It was well over an hour before she came in, and from her appearance, I surmised things hadn't gone well. Her eyes were red from weeping, and she looked somewhat bedraggled, as if she'd been running all over for the past hour—which she may well have been doing. I set my book down, saying, "No luck?"

She shook her head as she came and sat down next to me, leaning against me tiredly. "No. I found him finally—it seemed to take forever to track him down—but he wouldn't talk to me. He just gave me one furious look, said "I can't believe you'd treat me like that," and walked away. He wouldn't give me a chance to explain or apologize or anything."

I put my arm around her shoulders and gave her a little squeeze, saying, "He's a stubborn one, Dylas is. He'll cool down—eventually. But I suspect that it might take him a while. He's the sort that the more he cares, the more keenly he feels injuries—real or imagined. And he _does_ care, very deeply. So I expect he's very, very hurt. Just give him some time, and sooner or later he'll come 'round." She nodded, and I looked at her sharply. "Hey, will you be okay?" I asked her, concerned by her lassitude. S

he looked up at me and smiled a half-smile, saying, "Sure. Sorry to be all blue tonight—by tomorrow I'll be all smiles and sunshine again, I'm sure."

I ruffled her hair affectionately, then said, "Hey, why don't we go to the lake tomorrow? We can go fishing if you like, or take a picnic lunch."

She nodded, then looked at me, saying, "That sounds nice. Thanks, Leon. And don't worry—I _did_ hear _this_ invitation," she added, cringing.

"I know," I said with a fond smile. "I'll come by around 11:00, and I'll even pick up a picnic lunch at the restaurant before I come over. See you then?"

She agreed, then rose and gave me a tight hug, whispering, "Thank you, Leon," before releasing me and darting out of the room.

The next morning, when I stopped off at the restaurant, I was surprised that Dylas wasn't there. Normally he'd be preparing for the lunch crowd, but Porcoline was alone. I'd hoped to give him a piece of my mind, but it seemed that would have to wait for now. I figured he'd left to run an errand, so grabbing the boxed lunches from Porcoline, I headed to the castle. Avani was ready and waiting for me when I arrived—pale, but attempting to be cheerful as promised.

As we left, she said, "Oh, if you don't mind, I need to stop in at Carnation's before we head to the lake. I have a question for Lumie, and I'm afraid I won't catch her in time if I wait until after our picnic."

"Sure thing," I replied, smiling down at her.

We headed over to Melody Street and into the flower shop, but it was Amber who was minding the shop this morning. "Hi, Amber, is Lumie still upstairs? I have a question for her," Avani asked as she looked up the stairs.

"Oh… uh, yes she is, but…" Amber replied hesitantly.

"Thanks!" Avani called back as she darted up the stairs.

I looked curiously at Amber, who seemed nervous and distressed, and thought she was giving off an odd vibe this morning. Then suddenly I was filled with a sense of foreboding—but Avani had already disappeared upstairs. I ran after her, taking the stairs two at a time, and reached the upstairs living quarters just in time to hear a shriek coming from the back.

I bolted down the hall and found Avani standing in front of a doorway, white as a sheet, her hand over her mouth and a horrified look in her eyes. I turned to look in the direction of her gaze… and saw Dylas in bed with Illuminata. Given their relative positions, there could be no question at all of what they had been doing. Dylas scrambled out of her bed, naked and still partly at attention, and Avani turned and fled. I gave Dylas a disgusted look, saying, "You _really_ are a first-class idiot, you know that?" Then fighting back the urge to deck him, I turned and chased after Avani.

She was fleet of foot, and she had bolted out of the town gates and into the wilds of the Selphia Plains before I found her, collapsed sobbing against a large, mossy tree stump. I knelt down next to her, gently stroking her hair and murmuring soothingly to her as she wept. She turned and threw her arms around my neck, burying her face in my chest as she sobbed.

Finally after several minutes, her tears slowed enough that she was able to speak. "That… that _jackass_! I can't believe that he'd do that to me, and so quickly! He didn't even give me a chance to say anything. He must have just been _dying_ for an excuse to hop into bed with her. Or maybe they've been lovers for some time already, and I just didn't know. At least I told him about _you_—I didn't go behind his back like this. And you and I haven't even…." and with that, a new flood of tears began.

"Shhh, it'll be okay, don't cry. Here, let's forget about the lake for now and just head back to your place. I'll make you some nice, hot tea—you'll feel better after you drink it. Come on, you can lean on me while we walk." She nodded and took my proffered hand. I pulled her up and put my arm around her, pulling her close to me as we slowly made our way back to town.

When we arrived in her rooms, Dylas was there, waiting for her to return. The color that had so recently begun to return once again drained from her face, and she swayed unsteadily as if she'd been slapped. "What do _you_ want?" I asked him with a scowl, my ears flattening back against my skull.

"I want to talk to Avani," he replied, though he ignored me and looked only at her as he spoke.

"You mean like she wanted to talk to you last night, when you wouldn't give her the time of day? What makes you think _she_ wants to talk to _you_ right now, after what you just did?" I said, keeping my arm around her protectively.

"How about you fuck off and let her talk for herself?" Dylas said, finally turning to glare at me. "Avani…" he said, looking back to her.

She abruptly turned and walked back to the door, and opened it before she turned with a cold look to Dylas. "The door is right here, Dylas. I really don't want to talk to you right now. I need a little time to recover after the shock of seeing _my lover_ in bed with another woman, you know? Or are you my _ex_-lover now? I have to say that it sure looks that way to me, after what I saw."

"Oh yeah? Well, what about you? _You_ have two lovers—why can't I?" Dylas snapped angrily.

"I never said you couldn't," she replied icily. "But if you think back, first of all, when Leon and I decided we wanted to be together, too, I immediately came to you and told you about it—I didn't go behind your back. I don't know if this is the first time you've done this to me, or if this has been going on right under my nose for some time now, but either way, you're sneaking around while I was honest with you. Second, although Leon _is_ my lover, we have not actually consummated our relationship. So you are—or _were_—my only lover, in the physical meaning of the word. Third, I took two lovers because I loved two men. Can you honestly tell me that you love Illuminata? Or were you just _using_ her? And finally, I just want to add that I have _no_ memory _at all_ of you asking me on that date. Leon overheard the conversation and said that it seemed like I was preoccupied and not really listening to what you said, and for _that_, I apologize. But," she added, her eyes suddenly blazing with an inner fire that made me mentally applaud her unquenchable spirit, "I'll be _damned_ if I'm going to grovel on the ground like a whipped cur while you go out and revenge fuck every single woman in town to get me back for some imaginary slight! Now get out of my house—I don't want to see or hear from youfor three days, do you hear me? If by then you have thought it over and decided you want to try to make amends, then come see me on the fourth day from today, and I'll _consider_ it." Then without waiting to see if he complied, she turned on her heel and stalked up the stairs to her study, slamming the door behind her.

I looked at Dylas, who had gone a ghastly shade of pale green by this point, and just stared at him—there simply were no words for that moment. He looked completely shattered by Avani's revelations and her rage, and he apparently felt sickened by his own actions in their new light. "What… what have I done?" he said in a shaky voice.

"Screwed up—maybe the first thing you've ever had going really right in your life, and you screwed it up. Not just an average screw up, either—this is really a top-notch royal screw up. You'd better be prepared to kiss some _serious_ butt in four days," I replied coolly. "And even that might not be enough, to be honest."

He looked at me, and said, "Is… is what she said true? That you and she haven't…"

"Do you _really_ think she would lie to you? If you doubt her veracity, you certainly don't deserve her," I replied scornfully before I followed Avani upstairs, leaving Dylas dazed and alone.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	21. Chapter 21

Avani had exited her study by a side door that led to her smithy and crafting room. I found her there, pounding furiously on a sword blank. From the manner in which she worked, it was clear that she was simply blowing off steam with some hard physical labor rather than trying to craft a quality weapon.

She paused when I came in and looked at me, her eyes still burning with anger. She wiped the sweat from her brow, leaving dark streaks across her forehead in the process. "Well? Is he gone?" she said, tersely.

I shrugged my shoulder. "No idea, I didn't wait around to make sure he left. He probably will, once he gets his sea legs back," I replied drily. She looked at me questioningly, and I explained, "He looked seasick, like he might fall over or puke any minute."

She snorted, saying, "Good. Serves him right. I still can't believe…." and with that, she began hammering away furiously again.

After watching her for several minutes and seeing no sign of her anger abating, I put a hand on her arm to get her attention. "Hey," I said as she looked up at me, "how about we go clear out some monster infestations instead of this? It might be a more productive way to use up some excess energy."

She set her hammer down, and thought for a minute. "Sure," she said, "but I'd like a bath first—I have sooty sweat dripping into my eyes!"

I laughed, and we headed back downstairs. Dylas had indeed left by then, so she grabbed our gear and we headed out the back door, through her gardens and towards the inn. I spotted Dylas a ways down the road as we reached the inn, looking utterly dejected as he slowly walked up to the restaurant door. Serves him right, though, I thought to myself as I held the door for Avani.

We enjoyed long soaks in the fragrant baths, then met up in the lobby. I bought a cold juice for her, then we went to my room to pick up a few things and check on my foxes before setting out for the airship. Avani asked if I had any place in mind, and I suggested we return to the cave in Sercerezo Hill where the Sechsons had installed their secret lab. I thought it likely that a number of vicious creatures still roamed those maze-like caverns. She agreed, and off we went. We reached the cave after a few small skirmishes with monsters in the wild, and after taking a moment to check our gear and prepare ourselves, we headed in.

As I'd suspected, there were still numerous monsters lurking in the large, shadowy caverns. Avani fought like a demon, venting her fury and frustration on the unlucky monsters that crossed her path. I could barely keep up with her, she moved so quickly, and she was unleashing such power in each blow that I could barely get a jab in or cast a spell before she'd completely cleared each cavern. I was worried about how much energy she was using, and wondered if she had enough food at home—I knew that at this rate, her appetite would be enormous by the time we'd finished.

Sure enough, by the time we'd finished and returned to her rooms, she was drained and famished. Looking in her kitchen, I thought to myself that she _really_ needed to go shopping, urgently. For the time being, I found Vishnal and asked him to order some food from Porcoline's, giving him some money to pay for it. He happily obliged, always thrilled to do anything for his dearly beloved Princess. As he left, it occurred to me to wonder if Dylas would be delivering it—that could be awkward. But as it happened, Vishnal waited for the order and brought it back himself. When I asked him why Dylas wasn't doing the deliveries, he said that Porcoline had mentioned that the waiter was feeling unwell and had gone to bed. And well he should, I thought grimly as I took the food into the kitchen.

As we ate, a knock came on the door, and Illuminata stepped in, looking distraught. Avani remained seated and simply stared silently at the elf, waiting for her to speak. After a moment of hesitation, Illuminata began to apologize profusely. "I'm so sorry, Avani," she started, and she did sound truly sorry, I had to admit. "I… I know there's really no excuse, but… but Dylas said that you didn't care about him anymore, that you'd dumped him for Leon, and, well… I-I get so lonely sometimes, seeing everyone else running around with lovers. Mine left years ago, you see… and elves live such long lives. So sometimes we get lonely or bored… because even if we aren't human, we still feel as humans do. But if I'd realized that you hadn't broken up with him, I swear I'd never have done what I did. Can you ever forgive me?"

Avani set her dish down on the table and stood up, walked up to Lumie, and said, "I just have one question. How long has this been going on, between you and Dylas?"

Lumie looked her in her eyes and said, "He came to me late last night for the first time, and he stayed the night with me. That's everything that happened between us, nothing more."

To my surprise—thinking that Avani was going to slap her or at least tell her to get out—she put her arms around Lumie and hugged her tightly. Lumie looked shocked, and she began to cry silent tears as she returned the embrace.

"I'm sorry you got caught up in our fight, Lumie," Avani said softly, and I was astounded by the generosity of heart that could forgive a woman that only that morning had been caught in bed with her lover. "Dylas was using you to get revenge on me for something that was pretty much all in his head in the first place. It was terrible and wrong of him to do that to you, and I certainly don't blame you for it. Dylas bears sole responsibility for his actions. I'm not angry with you, so please don't worry about it anymore."

Lumie nodded, and turned away, saying "Thank you, Avani," in a hoarse whisper before running out the door.

"You're pretty amazing, you know that?" I told her as she sat back down beside me.

She looked at me in surprise, saying, "Huh? Why's that?"

"Oh, nothing, just thinking out loud," I replied with a smile. "Here, try a bite of this," I added, spearing a particularly tasty looking shrimp from my plate and popping it into her mouth, distracting her from further questions.

When we had finished eating and cleaned up, I looked at her and said, "You know, I still owe you a date. Do you want to try again tomorrow? Are you up for that?"

She thought a moment, then said, "I'd like that, but do you mind just staying in? The weather is supposed to be pretty awful tomorrow, I heard. Besides, I've enjoyed our evening together, and I wouldn't mind just spending some more quiet time like that with you, curled up on the sofa in front of the fire, reading or talking or whatever. Unless that would bore you?"

"You never bore me," I replied with a smile. "That's one of the things I love about you." She looked startled and blushed so adorably, I couldn't resist gently stroking her rosy pink cheek before turning to leave. "So shall I be here, say, around 10:00?"

"That should be fine—I think that gives me time to finish my morning routine, provided that it does rain. See you tomorrow, then," she said as she walked to the door with me.

I awoke the next morning to a terrible thunderstorm. Rain was falling so heavily that it was difficult to see through it, and thunder boomed frequently as lightning flashed repeatedly in the sky. Definitely a day for staying in if possible, I thought to myself.

As I stared out the window at the dreary weather, Xiao popped in with my breakfast tray. I favored an Eastern-style breakfast of grilled fish, miso soup, pickles, and rice, and that was what she had brought up for me today. I sat at my desk to eat, looking over the material I'd so far translated in the book I was working on. I found a few minor alterations I wanted to make and made them, then as soon as I finished eating, I headed down for a nice hot bath.

Afterwards, I packed up my book in my rucksack, told Sano and Uno to stay put where they'd remain warm and dry, and headed down. Pausing at the lobby door, I noticed that there were no umbrellas left to borrow in the large urn next to the coat rack. So I shouldered my rucksack and made a run for it, taking the shorter back route through the castle gardens to Avani's back door.

She let me in quickly, exclaiming at how thoroughly drenched I was. She pulled me to her wardrobe, and rummaging around for a moment, she pulled out a robe and boxers I'd left behind one morning. She insisted that I change out of my wet things right away while she fixed me a hot drink. Then while I sipped the hot coffee she'd prepared, she took the wet clothes to Clorica to have them set out to dry near the cooking hearth in the castle's kitchen.

"Ugh," I said as she returned and sat down next to me, pouring herself a cup of coffee and topping mine off. "Now I smell like wet dog."

She leaned in and sniffed delicately at me, saying, "Not all that much. You just smell like… Leo!"

"_Leo_?" I asked.

"Yep, I think I'll call you Leo from now on. It fits you perfectly!" she said with a big grin.

"Don't be pert, little miss," I said, setting my cup down.

"Leeeooo!" she sang out, leaning in closer to me.

"Damn. That… that's cuter than I could have imagined, when _you_ say it. Well, two can play at that game. Which shall I call you? My Lady? Or perhaps Princess Avani? Or would you prefer I just call you Li'l Avani?" I replied with a slightly malicious grin.

To my surprise, she seriously contemplated the choices I'd given her before picking. "Call me My Lady," she decided.

"So that's what tickles your fancy, is it, My Lady?"

She blushed a little, then leaned her head on my shoulder and said, "It sounds so nice coming from you, Leo." I felt my own cheeks redden slightly, and I put my arm around her shoulders and drew her closer as we sat gazing into the fire and listening to the rain pounding on the roof and the distant rolls of thunder.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	22. Chapter 22

**AN:** **Warning**—today's installment contains a lotta lemony goodness! If you're unfamiliar with the term "lemon", that pretty much means sexy fun times. **This chapter contains explicit lemons, so if you are bothered by it or otherwise shouldn't be reading it, _please don't_ _read it_.** Again, this chapter is **rated M for sex**.

* * *

><p>We sat for a some time snuggled up on the sofa before the fire, Avani reading a volume of history while I read the volume I'd been translating for Arthur. Clorica came in at one point late in the morning to whisk around tidying and dusting, then she let me know that it would be a while longer until my clothes were dry but that she'd bring them to me when they were done. I thanked her, and she turned to Avani to ask if she would like lunch to be brought to her today. Avani asked for her to please order lunch for the both of us—a salted rainbow trout meal for me and a bowl of stew for her—from Porcoline's. She returned a while later with the requested meals, and we sat in front of the fire and enjoyed our lunch.<p>

As we ate, Avani asked, "So tell me, besides 'exciting' foods like that poisonous fish you're eating, what else do you most enjoy?"

I thought about it as I nibbled at my fish, then replied, "I like things that amuse me and keep me from boredom. And I enjoy reading, though perhaps not as much as Kiel does. I love to travel, as well—seeing new places and people and learning about other cultures and trying new foods."

"I wonder if I traveled, before I lost my memory?" Avani mused as she absentmindedly tore off a piece off her roll and nibbled at it.

"Well, you must have done _some_ traveling, or you wouldn't be here. Right?" I replied.

"True…" she trailed off, still lost in thought.

After a moment, I said, "Well, then. Now it's my turn. I know you like chocolate and shrimp and smoothies, you love your pets, you have a fondness for men with tails, and you love adventuring. What else do _you_ like most?"

Avani began to rattle off a list of things she liked: "I love this town and the people here, I love mountains and sunsets and sunrises. I love to fish and to swim and to make things and to grow things. I enjoy cooking, especially for others, and I love to soak in nice, hot baths. I love flowers and music and poetry and reading books in front of a roaring fire on a chilly day."

I just looked at her for a minute, trying to process all that. Then I looked sternly at her, saying, "That's too much—I said what do you like _most_? So tell me—what's your single absolute favorite thing?"

She thought for a minute, then said, "I'm tempted to say food or maybe gardens…"

"Nice, honest, frank answers, both of them—just what I'd expect from you," I said with a smile as she paused.

"…but," she continued with a mischievous look in her eyes, "I'd have to say that the answer is you, Leo."

"Ah-ha," I replied, with a wicked grin, "then if I give _myself_ to you, would you accept me?"

She set her empty bowl down and looked me straight in the eyes as she said, "With pleasure."

I nearly choked, feeling my cheeks turn hot at her frank answer—it wasn't at all what I'd expected. "O-okay…." I said, stammering slightly in my confusion.

She smiled at me and picked up her book, saying as she flipped through to find her place again, "Don't worry. I know you were just teasing, like always. You wouldn't make a suggestion like that seriously."

"So does that mean that your _real_ answer would be no?" I asked her, curiously.

"No," she replied as she found her place and began to read again. "I meant what I said. I'm just saying, I know you didn't _really_ mean it. You never do, you know—you just tease me to get a rise out of me. I'm wise to your ways, my good sir."

My ear twitched in annoyance as I looked down at the small figure curled up reading next to me. So she thought she had me figured out, did she? Little did she know just how much I meant what I said—what lay hidden behind my jokes and teasing. I'd been limiting myself to nothing more than cuddling or little kisses on her cheek or forehead, reluctant to take a step from which there could be no turning back. But perhaps now….

I set my plate down, then gently pulled the book from her hands and placed it on the table, too. I turned her towards me and gently caressed her cheek and her hair. Such fine, silky hair she had, too—usually she wore it tied back, but today she had left it loose and it cascaded over her shoulders in gentle waves. I leaned in and gave her a soft kiss, then I pulled her towards me and kissed her more firmly. I felt her stiffen momentarily in surprise, then she relaxed and her lips parted willingly at the insistence of my tongue. I explored every corner of her mouth, caressing her tongue with mine.

As I felt the heat rising in me, I pulled her even closer, and she placed her arms around my neck as she pressed herself firmly against me. My sense of taste had been heightened, as indeed had all my senses, since becoming a Guardian, so I pulled back and began to nibble and lick her neck, savoring the saltiness of her warm, soft skin. I gently scooped her up in my arms and carried her over to her bed, leaving her there for a moment as I went and locked the doors and drew the curtains.

Discarding my robe as I returned, I sat on the edge of the bed and began to slowly unbutton her blouse. As I did so, I leaned down and again began to kiss and nibble and nip at her neck, working my way down her throat towards her jugular notch. I paused there, tickling her sensitive skin with the tip of my tongue and enjoying the small moans that my kisses elicited before continuing downwards with tiny little teasing caresses of my tongue.

Soon I had her blouse completely unbuttoned and opened, revealing her firm, ample breasts cradled in a lacy bra. I nuzzled her breasts with my cheek as I slid my hands underneath her, then returned to her mouth to engage her in a passionate kiss as I unfastened her bra. I slid her blouse off her shoulders, then her bra straps. Removing her bra all together, I dropped it onto the table next to the bed.

Still kissing, I stretched out so that I lay alongside her, propped up on one arm while my free hand roamed over her smooth skin, exploring the curves of her ribs and belly before gently caressing her breast. A small gasp escaped her lips, and I gently remonstrated with her for breaking our kiss by nipping softly at her lip, sucking on her upper lip slightly before I resumed kissing her. I continued to caress her breast, then rubbed the hard tip of her nipple between my fingertips. She moaned and wriggled a little under my touch, her back arching as she eagerly pressed up into my caress.

She wrapped her arms around me, pulling me tightly to her, but I pulled back and once again left a trail of kisses and nibbles down her neck and breast, stopping when I reached the tip of her nipple. I flicked the tip of my tongue across it, then gave it a gentle nip. Avani gasped, and I took her nipple into my mouth, sucking and gently nipping it. She moaned softly and dug her nails into my back, pulling me closer to her. With my free hand, I toyed with her other nipple, alternating between caressing it, flicking my finger over the tip, and lightly rolling it between my fingertips.

After a few minutes, I moved my hand slowly down her side, my fingers lightly brushing her skin. She wore a wrap skirt that simply tied closed, so when my fingers reached the skirt waist, I easily untied the bow knot. I flipped both sides of her skirt aside, leaving her lying on the fabric in only her panties. I ran my hand over her hip and down her thigh, then began to kiss and lick her skin as I moved down her sides and belly. I gently stroked her between her legs, pleased to feel the wetness already soaking her underwear.

I knelt next to her and slowly slipped them off, leaning down to kiss her belly as I did so, then dropped the bit of silky fabric to the floor, running my fingertips lightly over the soft, pale green hair of her pubic mound. She moaned as she opened her legs a little wider and pushed up against my hand. I ran my fingers down her slit, exploring the warm wetness a little before moving down to kiss her soft green hair. My tongue tasted the piquancy of her wetness, finding the small, hard nub at the top of her slit and flicking over it as she gasped and moaned again.

I wasn't sure how much longer I could hold back now, so I stood up, removing first her clothing from beneath her and then slipping my boxers off. She watched me do so, her eyes heavy-lidded and her lips slightly parted. She reached out her hand to the tip of my erection, tracing her finger around it and through the drops of fluid collected there before sliding her hand down the shaft. I shivered with pleasure at the sensation; it had been a _very_ long time since I'd last felt a woman's touch.

Not wanting to lose control, I gently removed her hand. I climbed back onto the bed, lying on top of her this time and kissing her again. She returned my kiss hungrily, then she kissed and gently bit my neck. I felt a rush of heat as her caresses became increasingly fervent, and again pulled back. She entwined her legs with mine, attempting to hold me down against her, but I reached down and moved them aside as I leaned in and kissed and nipped at her neck, a little harder than before.

She squirmed beneath me, her breathing ragged as I held myself up over her, looking down at her face. Her eyes were unfocused, her lips parted as she breathed heavily. I smiled and moved in a little closer, so that the tip of my erection just brushed against the wetness of her fine hair. She gasped and arched her back up to meet me, but I pulled back just enough so that I only teased her with my tip.

Looking into her eyes, I asked, "Tell me again, My Lady, if I give myself to you, will you accept me?"

"Yes, Leo, please," she gasped in reply, digging her nails into my lower back in an attempt to draw me into her.

I resisted, shaking my head at her. "No, no. I want you to tell me exactly what you told me before. So once more: if I give myself to you, My Lady, will you accept me?"

She moaned a little, then replied throatily, "With pleasure."

I smiled down at her and said, "Then here I am." With a firm thrust, I pushed into her warm, eager wetness. She cried out, her hips lifting to meet mine as she gripped the small of my back tightly. I drew myself out slowly, then thrust in firmly again, over and over, slowly at first, then increasing the pace as her breathing became increasingly ragged and gasping. As I plunged in and out ever more rapidly, I kissed her, then bit and sucked at the spot just above where her shoulder met her neck. She cried out, digging her nails deeply into my back, gasping my name over and over as she reached her climax. That was as much as I could take, and with a few more deep thrusts, I reached my own release, hoarsely crying out her name.

Spent and exhausted, I slipped down on top of her, lying on her and still in her, her legs and arms wrapped lightly around me as we both lay panting and breathless. I nuzzled her neck, and she rubbed her cheek against me. We both fell asleep lying together like that, neither of us wanting to move away from the other.

After a while—the clouds were breaking up and the afternoon sun was shining low and golden through the south windows by then—we were awakened by a knock on her door. I lifted myself up and looked down at her, feeling a tender warmth spreading through my chest as I gazed into her sea-green eyes. I kissed her, then rolled over and off of her, pulling her bed sheet partway up over me as she sighed and rose. She grabbed my robe and pulled it around her before going to answer the door. It was Clorica, bringing my now-dry clothes to me. Avani thanked her, ignoring the girl's curious glances at her disheveled appearance, and closed and locked the door after her.

She set my clothing on a chair, slipped my robe off and lay it across the back of the sofa, and returned to bed. She slid under the sheet and put her arms around my neck, pulling me over to her for a kiss. "I love you," she whispered as she rubbed her cheek against mine.

"I know," I replied with a smile. "I'm pretty fond of you myself."

She grinned up at me, then threw the sheet off of us and sat up. "I don't know about you," she said, "but I'm famished! Want to go to Porcoline's? I'd cook you dinner, but I really need to do some shopping and go fishing—my refrigerator is looking a little bare."

"Sounds fine," I replied, stretching languidly, "but what if Dylas is working? You said you didn't want to see him."

"Well…" she said slowly, "true, but… it's not like he can bug me too badly while we're eating in the restaurant where he works. Even if Porcoline let it slide, I'm almost positive Meg wouldn't! So if he's waiting tables, I'll just ignore him when I can and be polite when I can't. After all, it's pretty hard to _completely_ avoid him in a small town like this."

"Well, if you're sure you'll be okay…. I _am_ pretty hungry. But," I said, pulling her back down to me with a grin, "let's first enjoy an appetizer here."

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	23. Chapter 23

The sun was just setting as we dressed to go have dinner, so instead of taking the shortcut through her garden, we went out her front door and strolled along the west side of town, admiring the brilliant colors lighting up the clouds along the horizon. "It looks like it'll be a nice day tomorrow," I commented as we stood at the lookout point near the inn, watching as the sun finally vanished below the horizon. "Want to go fishing? You said you needed to, and we still haven't managed to go."

"What, didn't you enjoy today's alternative activities?" she said teasingly, looking up at me with laughing eyes.

I leaned down and nuzzled her cheek, whispering into her ear, "You _know_ I enjoyed every moment of it."

She blushed bright red, then grabbed my hand and held it as we walked towards the restaurant. When we arrived, she hesitated a moment at the door. I gave her hand a squeeze, saying, "You know, we don't _have_ to eat here if you're not up to it. I can just go in and order something to go for us, if you would rather."

She squeezed my hand back, and smiled gratefully at me. "No, but thank you for offering, Leo. I told him I wasn't going to grovel, and I meant it. I just need a moment to brace myself in case he's there."

"Think 'ice princess'," I said with a grin. She laughed, and we went on in.

Sure enough, when we stepped inside, Dylas was there at the counter, his back to the door. I felt Avani stiffen momentarily, and I gave her hand another squeeze. Dylas turned around to greet the new arrivals and blanched when he saw us standing there. He seemed rendered incapable of speech, so I just smiled and asked for a quiet table for two. He scowled at me, then nodded and led us to a small table set for two.

He handed us menus and said, rather brusquely, "Drinks?"

"Tea for both of us, please," I responded politely.

His scowl deepened as he turned to look at Avani, but she was looking over the menu and ignoring him. He turned and stomped off to get us our tea, and I saw her shoulders relax. "Well," I said, "it wasn't as bad as it could have been… right?"

Avani set her menu down and looked at me with a grave expression. "Leo, not only do I really not want to talk _to_ him while we're here, I also really don't want to talk _about_ him. Let's talk about something else, okay?"

"As you wish, My Lady," I said with a smile.

Just then Dylas returned with our tea. "You ready to order?" he said gruffly, again looking at Avani.

She continued to ignore him, instead looking at me with a twinkle in her eyes and saying, "Will you order for me please, Leo?"

I grinned back at her, saying, "Oh-ho, presenting me with a challenge, My Lady? Well, let me see… I recall you once telling me that with a few exceptions, your food preferences were based more on the nutrients you derive from them rather than the actual taste of the food. So based on what I _think_ your nutritional needs are right now, as well as planning ahead for the remainder of the day…."

I paused as I thought for a moment. "I'm going to say that you probably need a meal that is comprised of about two-thirds carbohydrates, for energy—you'll need lots of _that_; one-third protein, for strength; and a little fat, just to keep those lovely curves of yours curvy. So…."

I thought for a moment about what menu options would best fit those needs, not failing to notice Dylas's scowl deepening. "Let's go with an order of snapper sashimi to start, followed by a vegetarian curry on rice, a side salad, and a large glass of fruit juice. And for me, rainbow sashimi, followed by grilled lamp squid, fried veggies, and fried rice, with more tea to drink. Thanks," I said, handing the menus back to Dylas. He grunted and stalked off.

I leaned forward and said in a stage whisper, "The service is maybe a little lacking, but I hear the food is pretty good."

She choked slightly on her sip of tea and giggled. I leaned back, glad to see her smiling again. "So about tomorrow… do you have any place in particular you'd like to go fishing? No? Then how about we pack our swimsuits and a lunch and head over to Keeno Lake? It's always summer there, so it should be a good deal warmer there than it will be here. And it's a good place to fish—I often head there when I'm fishing for lamp squid or rainbow trout. How does that sound?"

"It sounds perfect!" she exclaimed happily. Just then Dylas arrived with our sashimi, plunking the plates down unceremoniously before stalking off again. I looked at her and shrugged, then we set about enjoying our meal.

Afterwards, I ordered a slice of chocolate cake to go for Avani and paid the bill, making sure to leave a generous tip for Dylas—knowing that would rile him more than no tip at all in his present state of mind. I didn't really care how he acted towards me, but it annoyed me to see him being so pissy and childish to Avani.

I started to walk her home, but as I began to turn to head down the steps to the back of her gardens, she stopped and grabbed my hand. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"I'm taking you home," I said, surprised that she'd ask such an obvious question.

"Don't you need to stop by your room for anything?" she asked, looking confused.

"Such as…?" I replied, uncertainly.

"Oh…." she said, blushing and looking away. "I… I assumed you were staying the night. But I guess not?"

Looking down at this incredible, strong woman standing flushed with uncertainty before me, I felt an overwhelming tenderness wash over me as well as passion rising up from deep within me. I pulled her to me, saying in a low voice, "Would you like me to stay?"

She turned a little pinker and nodded her head, burying her face in my chest. "Then by all means, let's stop at the inn first. Would you care for a bath, too, while we're there?"

"Mmm, that sounds wonderful!" she murmured, looking breathtakingly sensual as she looked up at me with half-closed eyes. My heart felt as though it would burst, and I thought to myself that I had no right—no right at all—to feel such happiness. But as I looked at her, I knew that I couldn't help being happy as long as I remained with her.

When we walked in, I told her to go on ahead and enjoy a long soak—I needed to get some things together before my bath and check on my foxes, so she'd have plenty of time. She squeezed my hand and smiled happily at me before bounding off to the women's baths.

I climbed the stairs to my room and dropped my rucksack on my bed, waking the foxes from their nap. I told them they could stay or follow as they pleased, as long as they kept out of the way. They looked at me sleepily and snuffled a little before curling back up and going back to sleep, tails tucked around their noses. I gathered up my swim shorts and a beach towel, a change of clothes, and my toiletries, placing them neatly in my bag. I gathered up the rest of the materials for my translation work that I'd left behind this morning, setting them on top of my clothing. Then I grabbed my fishing pole, shouldered my pack, and headed down to the baths.

I met Avani in the lobby after we finished bathing, and I bought us fruit juice to drink. A jeweler had recently opened a shop in there in the lobby, so while we sipped our drinks, Avani looked over the selection of gemstones he had available that evening.

I smiled to myself as I thought perhaps she was displaying a previously undiscovered girlish trait, so I was both surprised and amused when she came back, musing, "He had some decent emeralds and sapphires for sale, though the price was a little high. I'm running low since I keep using them up in making upgraded weaponry and armor. I think I'd still rather go hunting for gemstones than pay for them, though it's nice to know that they're there if I need some in a hurry."

I burst out laughing, and she looked at me, puzzled by my reaction. "What's funny?" she asked.

"Nothing. You're just adorable, that's all," I replied, grabbing her hand. "Come on, let's get going. Your cake must be calling to you by now."

She grinned gleefully as she looked at the small white box in her hand, then she looked up at me and asked, "Would you like to share the cake? You don't seem to hate sweets like Dyl… like some others I know, but you didn't get yourself anything either."

I pulled her to me and leaned in closer to her, saying in a low voice, "I have an entirely different sort of dessert in mind, one that I hope we can enjoy together." She turned bright pink, gave my hand a hard squeeze, and swiftly pulled me out the door.

We headed up the street towards the shortcut to her back door, and as we reached the steps leading down to her gardens, Avani stopped short and stiffened. I looked east, following her gaze, and saw Dylas coming along the street towards us. He was looking down as he walked and hadn't seen us yet, but before I could pull her down the steps and out of his line of sight, he looked up and stopped. He just stared for a minute, looking from Avani to me and back again. He took a step forward, and at that, Avani turned sharply and ran down the steps without a word, pulling me along with her. I gave him a cool nod as I followed, noting that his expression appeared to be a mixture of anger, anxiety, and grief.

I felt certain that with the way things were progressing, he'd be knocking on Avani's door early on the fourth morning, begging her forgiveness. I just wondered if she would feel so inclined by then. I found that my own feelings were mixed. I was surprised to find that with our newly established intimacy, I now felt possessive of her—harboring a desire for her to look at me and only me. But I also enjoyed the old camaraderie of our trio. We made a good fighting team, I thought, and I'd hate to lose that, especially now with the imminent threat of the Sechs Empire. I'd just have to wait and see what happened—there was little else I could do.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	24. Chapter 24

**AN:** Some more lemons in this one. Thank you for reading, please let me know how you like the story so far! :)

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><p>I awoke the next morning to sunlight streaming in the windows. I was lying on my back, and Avani was cuddled up to me, her head on my chest and one of her legs wrapped around mine. We had fallen asleep after making love again last night, and so we still lay naked, the sheet and blankets only partially covering us. We had taken the precaution of locking the doors and canceling Vishnal's usual wake-up call, so I wasn't concerned about intrusions, but as the room was chilly, I drew the covers up to be sure she didn't get cold.<p>

She stirred slightly but didn't awaken, so I just lay there with her in my arms, watching her as she slept. She looked so sweet in her sleep, as if in her dreams she returned to the innocence of childhood. I wondered if hers had been a happy one, what her family had been like and where they had been all this time that she'd been missing. I wondered if there'd been anyone special to her in her past, and found myself feeling oddly jealous regarding this hypothetical potential rival. I smiled inwardly, amused by my own reaction.

Just then she stirred again, this time waking. She snuggled up closer to me, murmuring, "Good morning, Leo."

"Good morning, My Lady," I replied, stroking her hair. She sat up and stretched, arching her back. I felt keenly aroused just watching her flex her curvy, limber body in the soft early morning light. She noticed, and with a smile, reached down to gently caress my rapidly hardening member, wrapping delicate fingers around the base. I closed my eyes with pleasure as she slowly but firmly stroked my shaft, then she bent down to me and kissed me ardently without slowing or stopping her caresses. The pleasure quickly intensified as she began to move more rapidly, but before I reached the peak, she suddenly stopped.

I opened my eyes in surprise to find her preparing to straddle me. She lowered herself onto me, slowly enveloping me in her warm, slippery embrace as she slid up and down, her breasts bouncing rhythmically. She moved slowly at first, her pace gradually increasing. As I felt myself nearing my climax, I grabbed her hips and helped her to slide up and down faster and faster. She arched her back and cried out my name, reaching back behind to clutch my legs as she bucked on top of me. I felt her walls squeeze me in rhythmic convulsions as she climaxed, sending me over the edge. I gasped her name as I exploded into her, shuddering from the intensity of my release. She slid along my length a few more times, slowing to a more languorous pace before finally stopping all together and collapsing forward onto my chest. I put my arms around her as we lay entwined there, slick with sweat and breathless.

A few minutes later, she eased off of me—slowly, as if reluctant to do so—then rolled over next to me. She snuggled up close, cradled in my arms. I kissed her hair, and said, "Now _that's_ what I call a good start to the day."

Although I couldn't see her face, I could feel her mouth widening into a grin against my chest. "Avani's wake up service, ready for action, night or day!" she said teasingly.

"Well, as long as you have a very short client list, maybe," I chuckled.

"_Very_ short."

She sat up and climbed over me, stopping to give me a kiss halfway across. She quickly threw on some work clothes, then looking over her shoulder as she headed out her back door, she said, "I have to get going on my chores. You can stay here if you like, or come with me if you'd rather. I'll make breakfast when I'm done, but if you don't want to wait, help yourself—not that there's much to choose from!" And with that she was gone. I thought for a moment, then decided that I was interested in seeing what she did. I quickly pulled on my pants and sandals and hurried out the door after her as I fastened my belt.

Energetic as usual, she was rapidly picking strawberries when I found her. She dropped the box of berries off in a large bin next to her barn and moved on to the next crop—carrots. She pulled them, likewise placing them into a box. Then she looked down at them, frowning. "I'd planted these for Dylas, but…." she said curtly. She shrugged in vexation and said, "Screw it," as she dropped them in the bin.

She went on to harvest fruit from her fruit trees, then worked her way through her monster barn, gathering the produce from her beasts: milk from her buffamoos, eggs from her cluckadoodles, fur from her woolies, fairy dust from her fairy. She hurried out and dropped the last items into her bin just as Vishnal arrived to pick up the day's shipment and deliver it to the waiting airship. Vishnal greeted her in his usual cheery manner, though he gave me a brief startled look as he greeted me. Avani chatted with him for a moment as he collected the shipment, then she hurried back into her barn.

Her barn was a decent size, with three rooms and space for a couple more to be added in the future. She had Baldur and three buffamoos in one room, which was where she headed first. She spent a little time with each monster, petting and brushing them as she spoke softly to them. It was kind of awe-inspiring to see the devotion her beasts felt for her, crowding around her, pushing each other out of the way to try to get a little closer to her. She laughed as they vied for her attention, making sure to divide her time evenly and fairly despite their efforts. She tended her woolies next, then finished up with her fairy and cluckadoodles. Finally, she quickly watered her crops and orchard, and then her morning tasks were done. All together, it had taken her about three hours to complete all that work. Apparently she was as fast-moving on her farm as she was in combat.

Before we left for the lake, we headed over to Sincerity General Store so that Avani could restock her refrigerator. After dropping off her purchases, we went to Porcoline's, arriving just as it opened. Avani ordered two boxed lunches, and we chatted with Porcoline about our planned outing as he prepared them. When we turned around to leave, Dylas was standing behind us, scowling. "Nice that you're keeping so busy," he muttered. Avani ignored him, passing by as if no one was there. I grabbed the lunches and followed, saying nothing to him in passing, only raising an eyebrow as I looked at him. He clenched his fists and turned away, and I left.

Avani packed her swim suit, beach towel and fishing gear in her pack and grabbed her pole and a pair of buckets to put the fish in. I grabbed my rucksack and pole and the lunches, and we headed over to the airship dock. We asked to be dropped off at the lake, where we found to our delight that we were completely alone there—no people, no monsters—just us and the fish.

We set our packs down, and prepared to fish. Avani filled the buckets with cold water and set them in a shady spot, and we cast our lines out into the water. I'd never fished with her before, though I knew she often at least placed in fishing competitions, and sometimes even won—even beating Dylas, who was a fanatic. She skillfully flicked her line far out into the water, waiting patiently until she got a nibble a few minutes later. She quickly pulled it in, discovering she had hooked a decent sized mackerel—the first fish of the day.

We fished for an hour or so, catching several between us—including a few rainbow trout and a couple of lamp squid. Then we took a break for lunch, sitting on the soft grass in the sun as we ate. Afterwards I stretched out on the warm grass, my head on Avani's lap, closing my eyes against the bright sun. She stroked my hair as she sat quietly, apparently lost in thought.

I had just begun to doze off when I felt a fly tickle my ear. I flicked my ear in annoyance, but it was back a moment later. The third time, I opened my eyes and looked around for the irritating insect, and saw Avani stifling a giggle, a stem of grass in her hand. "So it was you, was it?" I said, trying to look annoyed but probably failing.

I sat up and grabbed her, deftly swinging her around and to the ground. I sat on her belly and held her hands above her head in one of mine as I grinned maliciously. "Then prepare for retribution!" I exclaimed, and I started to tickle her. She giggled and writhed as I tickled her sides, under her arms, and her neck. She struggled, not _quite_ helpless with laughter, and eventually manage to break free. Then she tackled me, holding me down as she tickled the sensitive fur of my ears. We continued in that vein for some time, escalating back and forth until finally we were rolling around naked on the grass, making love in the hot midday sun.

We lay on the ground for a while afterwards, stretched out next to each other, her small hand enclosed in mine as we watched the clouds float by. After a few minutes, Avani scrambled to her feet. She was incredibly beautiful to me, and I lay there looking up at her, admiring her curves, her strong, straight limbs, her expressive eyes, and her radiant smile.

"If you're done ogling," she said with a grin a minute later, "would you like to go for a swim?"

"Hmmm… not _quite_ done," I said, grinning back at her as my gaze traveled slowly down her trim figure and back up again. "Okay, I'm good for a few minutes. With or without?"

"Without!" she exclaimed, then turned and raced to the lake, plunging into the cold water before turning, laughing with delight, to wait for me to join her.

After swimming and splashing for a while, we lay on the grass again, drying in the warm sun. Ever restless, Avani popped back up after a few minutes. "I'm feeling stiff—I haven't been able to do my daily exercise routine since I was injured, and I'm feeling it."

"So… you're going to just do it here in the meadow, naked?" I asked, feeling my interest piqued at the thought.

"Why not? Though I'll have to skip handstands, of course."

"Oh? Why's that?" I asked.

"Because gravity is _not_ my friend," she said, laughing, and went to search out a nice, level patch of meadow to work on. I raised myself up on my elbows, watching with keen interest as she went through a modified routine—stretches and bends and other moves that showed off her lithe figure tantalizingly.

She came over to me when she had finished, and looking down at me with a smile, said, "I take it you liked what you saw?"

"Very much," I replied, reaching up and grabbing her hand to pull her down next to me.

"You're insatiable!" she giggled as I leaned over her to kiss her neck.

"And you're addictive," I murmured into her throat.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	25. Chapter 25

**AN:** This chapter's a little longer than yesterday's. I hope you're enjoying the story! I'd love to hear from you, and thanks for reading!

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><p>"Seriously, though, Leo," Avani said some time later, as we lay catching our breath, "Where do you get the energy? It seems like we'll have barely caught our breath before you're all ready to go again!"<p>

"Well, I do have several centuries of catching up to do," I replied, kissing the top of her head.

"That reminds me," she said, flipping around so that she could rest her head on my abdomen and still look into my face. "How old are you, anyway?"

"Several centuries; I thought we'd already established that," I said, teasingly.

She poked me in my cheek, saying, "You know what I mean! I mean, how old were you when you were sealed?"

"Does it matter?" I asked her, amused by her curiosity.

"No… of course it doesn't _matter_," she replied slowly. "I'm just curious, that's all. You _seem_ older than the other young single guys in town, but at the same time, you're more playful than the others, too. I just can't tell."

I just closed my eyes and smiled, not answering her question. After a minute, she wriggled restlessly, saying, "Leo? Are you going to answer my question?"

I rolled over onto my stomach to let my tail finish drying. Instead of answering her, I simply commented, "The hot sun feels so good today, doesn't it?"

"Leeooo!" she exclaimed, mildly vexed.

"Maybe if you tell me how old you are, I'll tell you how old I am," I murmured.

"That's not fair!" she pouted. "You _know_ I have no idea what my age is. Even my birthday is just a date Venti picked at random. Jones thought I was likely in my very early twenties when I arrived, and that's all I know."

She climbed up on my back and began to tickle my ears and neck. "H-hey! S-stop that!" I gasped, laughing.

"Not until you 'fess up!" she exclaimed, tickling even harder. I flipped over onto my back without dislodging her, grabbing her waist to hold her away from my ears. Remembering holding her in a similar position this morning as we made love in the early morning light, I found myself becoming aroused again.

Avani exclaimed as she felt me poking against her from behind, "Leo! Again? Already?!"

"Like I said, My Lady—you're addictive," I replied as I pulled her down to me and kissed her.

As I lay sprawled across her afterwards, our bodies still entwined and damp with sweat, I nuzzled and kissed her neck. "Twenty-eight," I whispered into her ear, then kissed her again.

She put her arms around my neck and kissed me back, then said, "Why didn't you want to tell me?"

"To tease you of course," I replied.

"Leo!"

"…or maybe not," I continued with a grin. "Maybe because I'm the oldest of the young men in town. Maybe I thought you'd think I was too old for you."

"Leo… I don't care how old you are—well, I mean, too young wouldn't be good, but no way could _you_ be too old."

"Or maybe I'm teasing you even now, and I have been teasing you all along. The world may never know!"

"Ugh! Leo!" she said, poking my side. "Anyway, thanks. And twenty-eight is hardly ancient—you aren't _that_ much older than most of the others. Kiel's nearly eighteen…."

"What? Really? Eighteen, huh? I thought he was fifteen at most. Interesting," I interrupted in surprise.

"Yep, he'll be eighteen on his next birthday, which is coming up soon," she continued. "Doug just turned nineteen, Vishnal will be twenty next month, and Arthur and Dylas are both twenty-three. Dylas was sealed practically as soon as he turned twenty-one, which I guess was the age of majority at that time. Or at least that's what Venti told me."

"She would probably know," I agreed.

The shadows were lengthening and we were getting hungry, so we dressed and gathered up our things and our buckets of fish. Avani cast Escape and we returned to her room, where one of the butlers had built up a nice, roaring fire for our return. I told her that she could have my fish as long as she didn't give anyone else the lamp squid and rainbow trout I'd caught. She laughingly agreed and placed them in her refrigerator along with her own catch.

After dinner, we spent the evening quietly, sitting together in front of the fire. I read, and Avani brought out a small harp, saying she needed to practice. She'd been taking lessons from Meg, and from the sound of it, she was a quick learner—her performance was quite pleasant, though as yet unpolished. After she set it aside, she picked up her history book and read for a while before we prepared for bed. She gently brushed my tail out for me, which I found far more enjoyable this time. Once in bed, I kissed her good night before she blew out the lamp, leaving the room bathed in the dim, amber light from the waning fire.

I was just drifting off to sleep a few minutes later when she whispered my name. "Hmmm?" I responded drowsily.

"I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you, but… could you… could you just hold me, please?" she said, sounding slightly anxious.

"Anytime you wish, My Lady, and for as long as you wish," I replied, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her close to me. She rested her head against my chest with a sigh, and I asked, "Is anything wrong, My Lady?"

She hesitated for a moment, then said, "I… I just suddenly felt incredibly sad and alone. I guess it was talking about everyone's ages and how even my birthday isn't _really_ my birthday. It just hit me all over again, about not knowing my past, I mean. I think that's why I like to read history books so much—because I have no history of my own, at least, not from before I came here."

I gave her a squeeze and said, "I understand. In a way, we have similar problems—we've both lost our past. You to amnesia, and me to the passage of centuries. And I'm not even sure which is worse—knowing what you've lost, or not knowing—but neither one is much fun, is it? Still, keep your chin up, My Lady. Even if most of the townsfolk can't understand how you feel, I think I do, and I suspect the other Guardians would, too. So just remember—you're _not_ alone."

She snuggled a little closer to me, whispering, "Thank you, Leo," and soon we were both asleep.

The following morning, after Avani returned from her chores, I asked her if I could borrow her study for the day, or if she'd rather, I could return to my room at the inn and use my own desk. "I really need to spend the day working on this translation, My Lady, so I'm afraid I won't be able to take you anywhere fun today."

"I don't mind," she replied, "help yourself. And that's fine about today. To be honest, I need some time alone anyway. I need to spend some time thinking… about how I feel about Dylas now and what I'm going to tell him _if_ he shows up tomorrow. So I kind of wanted to get away from town, maybe do a little monster hunting, and just mull things over."

I frowned, saying, "That's fine, but it's not good to go out alone when you're distracted. You should take someone with you—either someone you're willing to discuss it with or someone who isn't talkative. Or take Baldur, if you'd rather not have other people around."

She nodded, and said with a faint blush, "I guess what I meant by 'alone' was 'away from men'. I thought I'd ask a couple of the girls to go with me, and then I can talk things over with them, too. I don't want to ask Forte—she's needed here in town right now. But I thought I'd ask Amber and Dolce. Amber won't be much help, but Dolce's really intuitive, maybe thanks to Pico. And even if she isn't much of a fighter, Amber always cheers me up—she's just so happy all the time. Plus I think she feels badly that she wasn't able to warn me about Dylas and Lumie in time, and I want her to know I'm not upset with her."

I smiled fondly at her, and said, "In that case, My Lady, have a good day and return safely. Shall I order dinner from Porcoline's upon your return?"

"That would be fantastic. Thanks, Leo—and good luck with your translation." She gave me a lingering kiss, then grabbed her gear and went in search of the two female Guardians.

I spent the day hard at work on my translation. It wasn't difficult, but it was time-consuming. The story was interesting, I thought—titled A Recipe for Happiness, it was a charming tale of a loving couple's life together. It was written in a form of the common language that by my own time had fallen into disuse, and only a few could still read it easily—myself, for one, and Maria for another. Though there was no date assigned to it, I assumed that it must predate me, since books written in my day had been written in the "new" style of the language—the style still currently in use.

I worked steadily, stopping only for lunch. Around noon, I walked the long way around to Porcoline's restaurant in order to stretch my legs a little and get some fresh air. Dylas was there, busily waiting on customers during the busy lunch hour.

After he took my order, he asked somewhat acerbically, "What, no Avani today?"

"Nope," I replied calmly, "I'm working and she's gone off monster hunting, with Dolce and Amber, I believe."

He snorted and walked away to seat some new customers. A short while later when he brought me my food, he said, "Hey, listen. Tomorrow's the fourth day. Would you please tell Avani that I'll be there in the morning, if she's still willing to talk to me by then?"

I paused for a moment, looking at the anxious expression on his face, then nodded. "Yeah, I'll pass that along to her. And, hey. You might not believe me, but I wish you good luck tomorrow. You were a real jerk to her, but I'm sure you've figured that out by now. I hope at the very least we can all be friends again, but I really do hope the two of you can patch things up sooner or later—preferably sooner."

His eyes widened, and he mumbled "Thanks, Leon," before he hurried off.

That afternoon, I continued with my work until I finally noticed that the room was growing dim and the candle was guttering. I extinguished the flame and set my work aside, then I went downstairs to build up the fire and wait for Avani to return. I was kneeling in front of the fireplace, adding a few logs, when in a burst of light, Avani appeared, along with Dolce and Amber—and of course Dolce's ghostly companion, Pico. She dropped her equipment on the floor and ran over to me, giving me a tight squeeze and a kiss, exclaiming, "I'm home!"

"So I see," I laughed, nodding to the others.

"Let me just fix the girls a snack—they're tired, hungry, and thirsty after a day out with me."

"I know the feeling," I replied with a smirk. She blushed and ruffled my hair before darting off to the kitchen, the girls close behind her. A short while later, they emerged, and bidding us good night, Dolce and Amber left, Pico darting after Dolce as they closed the door.

After closing and locking the door behind them, Avani came over to where I was sitting on the sofa. "How'd it go?" I asked, setting my book aside and pulling her down onto my lap. To my surprise, she began to kiss me hungrily, pulling and tugging at my clothes and shedding her own. I hadn't yet seen this aspect of her, and although she caught me off guard, I was more than willing to accommodate her need. Her urgency resulted in a brief but very intense union, leaving us gasping and limp for some time afterwards.

When I could speak and move again, I stroked her hair and said with a smile, "Tough day at work, My Lady?"

She cringed and made a peculiar gurgling sound. Then she rolled off me, and leaning on one elbow, looked at me with a comical expression. "Oh, Leo. You have no idea what it's like to spend a day fighting monsters with Amber! I mean, I really _do_ like her, but… oh, man!"

I laughed as she flopped over onto her back. "Do you know what her weapon of choice is?" she asked after a moment.

I thought, trying to imagine Amber using _any_ weapon. "Staff?" I ventured as my best guess.

"Nope. She fights using a watering-can. A freaking watering-can! Oh gods, Leo. She should never be allowed outside the city walls alone. Ever. A blind wooly with two broken legs could kick her butt. She spent more time chasing butterflies and picking flowers than fighting. I felt like a babysitter. I'm so glad Dolce was there—she is the absolute Anti-Amber, and that's all that kept me sane, I'm sure."

I laughed again, then teased her, "So then… turn-ons include babysitting child-like innocents? Frustrating party members?"

She smiled at me, reaching her hand out to trace over my facial markings with a delicate fingertip. "No. Turn-ons include seeing you after missing you all day. When I arrived here and saw you there by the fire, I wanted nothing more than to tear your clothes off right then and there. It was all I could think of, the whole time I was feeding Dolce and Amber. I could hardly wait for them to leave."

I grabbed her finger and kissed the sensitive tip softly, then said, "By the way, Dylas asked me to let you know he'd be over in the morning, if you'll see him. Have you made up your mind what you want to do?"

She flung her other arm over her eyes and sighed. "More or less. I don't know exactly what I'll say yet, but I think… I _think_ I've sorted out how I feel."

"I won't pry, but I want you to know that I'm hoping that you two reconcile—if not now, then soon."

She sat up and looked at me in surprise. "Really? Are you sure about that? If I take him back, you know that means you'll go back to sharing me again."

I sighed, saying, "Yes, I know that. And I know it won't be easy—if I could, I'd keep you all to myself."

She looked confused as she said, "Then… why…?"

"Because he can give you what I can't. Because I know that he cares deeply for you. And I know that, hurt and angry as you are now, deep down you care about him, too—or you wouldn't have bothered to even consider a second chance. And because I want us to be able to work as a team again—we're needed now, and we can't work together with things as they are."

"And what about his fling with Lumie? Do you think I should just overlook that?" she asked, curious rather than angry.

"Not at all. What he did to both of you was wrong. And I realize the hardest part will be learning to trust him again—and that he needs to earn that trust, not have it handed to him. No, I fully agree that he was a complete jackass and that you have every right to be angry and hurt by his actions. But at the same time—and I know this sounds strange—I believe he acted the way he did only because he cares so much for you."

She scowled thoughtfully, saying, "I don't follow your reasoning. Why would caring about me make him cheat on me? Shouldn't it be the opposite?"

"With most people, yes. But remember this _is_ Dylas—he never really learned how to deal with people, or how to love and be loved. From all accounts, Venti was his only friend, ever—and as wonderful as she is, she isn't human. You need to learn how to interact with humans from humans, not from dragons. So when he misunderstood what had happened, he jumped to the wrong conclusion—that you didn't really care for him after all. Then he dealt with that hurt in the only way he knew how, even if it was a rather stupid way: by seeking another woman's company. He's dense and an idiot and has no social skills… but he cares about you more than he's ever cared about anyone in his entire life. And that scares the shit out of him."

She sighed as she snuggled up against me, resting her head on my chest. "Maybe…. Anyway, I decided that I _do_ still care about him. I'm not even really _that_ angry anymore—mostly I'm concerned about his way of dealing with problems. If I take him back and something upsets him again at some point in the future, I don't want him doing this to me again. And it's not even about the sex—I really _wouldn't_ mind if he had other lovers. It was the sneaking around that I found despicable about his affair—that and the way he selfishly used Illuminata. And I don't want him to just shut me out and not listen to me when he's upset like he did this time. So while I still love him, I don't know if I'll be able to trust him again. I'm willing to take him back, but only as a friend… for now. Then we'll see what happens, if he can regain my trust and if I can feel the same about him again."

I put my arms around her and held her tightly, saying, "Well then, at least I'll have you all to myself for a little while longer."

She stroked my chest and abdomen, tracing imaginary lines across my skin. "Speaking of longer…." she said with a grin after a moment, her hand sliding lower under the sheet.

"Hmmm… and I think we can go a little more slowly this time around," I replied, smiling as I pulled her close and kissed her.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	26. Chapter 26

**AN:** I hope you enjoy, thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think of this subplot, or of the story as a whole! :)

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><p>I awoke to the scent of something delicious cooking the next morning; Avani was already up and making breakfast. I got up and pulled my robe on, then went to the kitchen. She was preparing ingredients for miso soup; rice was steaming on a burner, and a couple pieces of fish rested on a wooden slab, salted in preparation for grilling. The kettle was just beginning to whistle on another burner, so I grabbed it and started the tea brewing, then came up behind her and embraced her, nuzzling her neck and kissing her. "Mmm, my second favorite way to start the day. Smells wonderful."<p>

She grinned, saying, "I'm glad you approve," but didn't stop her preparations.

Soon we were sitting down to breakfast, which was every bit as delicious as it had smelled. As we ate, Avani said, "Will you do me a favor, Leo?"

I looked up at her, saying, "If I am able, but that depends on the favor."

She toyed with a sliver of fish for a moment before saying, "I'd like you to be there when I talk with Dylas. Will you stay?"

I watched her fidgeting, and asked, "Are you afraid of him?"

She looked up in surprise. "No, I'm not afraid. But… Dylas and I are both stubborn and can both be pretty hot-headed, too. I'd like to have a rational conversation with him, but I don't know if we can manage that. You're so calm and collected, I'd feel better having you there, keeping us in line."

"So you want me to act as a referee?" I said, amused.

She laughed. "I guess that's one way to put it. But yeah, pretty much that. Will you? Please?"

"If My Lady wishes, I will stay," I replied with a smile.

"Thanks, Leo. I appreciate it very much. Now I'd better scramble to get my morning work out of the way. Just leave your dishes, and I'll wash up when I return. I'll see you in a while," she said gathering up her dishes and stacking them by the sink. She kissed the top of my head, between my ears, and darted out the door.

I had finished my breakfast and was just starting to wash dishes while waiting for another pot of coffee to brew when I heard a knock coming from the main chamber. Looking at the wall clock in surprise, I saw that it was not quite 8:00. It was too late to be Vishnal's wake-up call, and too early to be Clorica wanting to tidy.

The knock came again, a little more insistent this time, and I realized it was coming from the front door, not the side door to the main castle as I had thought. I unlocked and opened the door, and Dylas was standing there.

"Is… Is Avani here?" he asked, frowning at my robe and the implications thereof.

"She's out doing her morning chores," I replied, letting him in. "Have a seat; she'll be back shortly. I just made coffee, if you're interested." He nodded, then stopped and frowned again as he stared at the disheveled bedding. Turning away from the sight, he sat in one of the chairs next to the fireplace, his back to the back door.

I returned to the kitchen and finished washing up, then poured two cups of coffee. I set one on the table and handed the other to Dylas, saying, "If you'll excuse me a minute, I'll just get dressed." He scowled and nodded curtly, and I walked over to the wardrobe.

By that time I had a few changes of clothing there, so I pulled some out and proceeded to dress. I was aware that Dylas was uncomfortable having me dress there in front of him, but I ignored his discomfiture. It hadn't bothered him before—only now when he had evidently reached the conclusion that Avani and I had become lovers in more than just name did it seem to disconcert him. I didn't have a high tolerance for priggishness. And sooner or later, he was going to have to get used to the idea that he no longer had exclusive access to Avani's bed—if indeed any access.

Sure enough, as soon as I sat down on the sofa and picked up my cup of coffee, he looked over at me and said, "I take it that what she said before about me being her only lover in the physical sense isn't true anymore."

I smiled, then leaned back and grinned as I remembered that first time with her. "You've got _that_ right," I said a moment later, still grinning. Then I looked over at him, took a sip of coffee as I watched him thoughtfully, and said, "But you knew it was just a matter of time, anyway. The timing was coincidental—it had nothing to do with your actions."

Dylas looked skeptical, saying, "Oh? How can you be so sure of that?"

I shrugged. "For one thing, if it had been because of you, Avani would have initiated it. But instead it just started off with me teasing her, as usual, only I allowed things to escalate beyond the usual level. Far beyond."

"Still," Dylas said, looking away, "she might not have wanted to if we hadn't… if I hadn't…."

"No," I replied, shaking my head, "if that was the case, she wouldn't have sought me out as a lover in the first place. Would she? Our friendship would have more than sufficed."

Dylas looked down at the floor and sighed. "I suppose you're right. I… I wanted to believe that if anyone else ever came along, I'd be able to let her go… just be glad to see her happy. But now… to have it actually happening, and with someone I had come to consider a friend…. It… it's not as easy as I'd hoped."

Before I could reply, Avani burst through the back door.

Somehow Avani never managed to simply _walk_ into a room, or _enter_ a room. Whenever she appeared, she did so with such energy that one almost expected to hear trumpets blaring or fireworks exploding or a choir singing something loud and triumphant. It would almost be comical, if it wasn't so damned endearing.

I stood up to go get her some coffee, but she tackled me before I'd taken more than three steps. "Leeeooo!" she exclaimed, throwing herself onto me and wrapping her arms and her legs around me. "I'm back! Did you miss me?"

I laughed at her enthusiastic greeting, saying teasingly, "The ninety minutes you were gone were the longest of my life, My Lady. But I should warn you, we aren't alone."

She slipped down, looking behind me with a surprised look, then blushed as she saw Dylas rising from his seat. "O-oh! Dylas, you're here already? I didn't expect you this early."

"So I noticed," he said, tonelessly.

I cupped her cheek in my hand, murmuring, "Why don't you tidy yourself up, and I'll get you some coffee?" before kissing her forehead.

She nodded, smiling up at me, and said, "Would you also bring me some of those cookies that Kiel brought us yesterday, please? I had a lot to do this morning, and I hurried as fast as I could, so now I'm already hungry again!" I laughed again as she opened her wardrobe, then I headed to the kitchen.

When I returned a few minutes later with a tray containing the coffee pot, a cup for her, and a plate of the delicate little cookies, she had changed into clean clothing and sat down in the chair opposite Dylas, who was looking even more uncomfortable by then. I set the tray on the table and poured a cup. "My Lady," I said, handing the cup to her.

"Thank you, Leo," she said with a smile.

"Refill?" I offered Dylas.

He nodded, and said, "Thanks," as I filled his cup.

I topped off mine, too, set the pot down, and sat back down on the sofa. "Well, then." I said, picking up my cup and slowly taking a sip. "I believe you have something you wish to discuss with My Lady?"

"Wait, what? Avani, can't we go somewhere more private? Why is _he_ here?" Dylas said, looking at Avani and then at me, frowning.

"I am Acting Princess of Selphia, Dylas, in case you'd forgotten," she replied coolly. "My rooms are about as private as I am allowed to get. And Leo is here because I asked him to stay."

"Why?" he said to her, bluntly, though he looked at me with a resentful air.

"Avani asked me to… referee. In case tempers flare."

He looked away, then after a moment's hesitation, nodded in either agreement or acceptance. Avani reached for a cookie and leaned back in her chair, nibbling at it and sipping her steaming coffee as she watched Dylas. Her face was expressionless, except for her eyes, which betrayed a variety of conflicting emotions. And so she sat and waited for him to speak.

Clearing his throat nervously, Dylas began. "Avani… first let me say that I'm no good with words—you know that. And I'm bad-tempered and stubborn—you know that, too. And I often don't think things through, just act without thinking…. But you know _that_, as well. So with all that in mind, I want to say that I'm… I'm sorry, so very sorry, for what I did. And I hope you'll give me a chance to explain…"

"Like you did me?" Avani interrupted, coldly.

Dylas winced, and said, "I know, I know. I'm asking you to be more generous to me than I was to you, and I know it's unfair of me to even hope for that. But all the same…"

He stood up, walked over to her chair, and knelt down in front of her, hanging his head as he spoke. "I was stupid, and a jerk, and I treated you horribly. I was so, so wrong. I was unfair to you, and you have every right to hate and despise me. But…" he looked up to her, and I could see tears in his eyes, "but please don't. I couldn't bear it if you hated me. You're the one really good thing in my life, and even if I've lost any claim to your affection, please don't hate me. I really want you back, Avani, more than anything else in the world. But if you don't want me as your lover anymore, please at least let me be your friend. But if there's any chance—_any_ chance at all—that maybe you'd take me back… I'll do _anything_ you ask, anything at all." He looked back down at the floor, waiting for Avani to say something, his hands clenched tightly on his knees and tears slowly trickling down his cheeks.

Avani sat, giving him a long, appraising look. After a moment, I saw a gleam in her eyes, and smiled to myself, wondering what mischief she was thinking up. Finally she said, "_Anything_?"

Dylas nodded, saying without looking up, "Yes, anything. If it's at all possible, I'll do it. And even if it's impossible, I'll try my hardest anyway."

"You'd bake me a cake every day _and_ eat it with me?"

"Yes," he replied, "as many as you wanted."

"You'd give up fishing?"

"I'd break my poles and give you the pieces," he replied without hesitation.

"You'd make friends with Doug?"

He hesitated ever so slightly. "That _might_ be impossible, since he'd have to be willing, too. But I'd try my hardest to be friends with him, if you asked me to do it."

"You'd… wear a saddle and give me horsey rides through town?"

He winced at that, but still replied in a low voice, hanging his head even lower, "I… I'd even wear a bridle, if it would help you to forgive me." Then he looked up at her again, saying, "It doesn't matter what you ask of me. I don't care how badly you humiliate me, or how difficult the task, or how dangerous. I said I'd do _anything_ to win you back, and I mean it."

Her eyes softened then, and she reached a hand out to gently wipe the tears from his cheeks. "I forgive you, Dylas…" His eyes widened in surprise, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Avani place a finger on his lips to quiet him. "But I'd be lying if I said everything was back to normal. It isn't. And I'd also be lying if I said I wasn't hurt and angry. I'm not _so_ angry anymore… if I don't think about it too much, that is. But you did hurt me, terribly. And you lost my trust. So the only task I have for you, I suppose, is to earn my trust back. In the end," she added somewhat drily, "you may find that far more difficult than wearing a saddle or befriending Doug."

"So then…." Dylas started, trailing off as he looked anxiously up at her.

"So I'm willing to be friends with you. I still care about you, but I don't know if I'll be able to trust you again, or if I'll ever love you again as I did before. Trust can be earned back, if you're willing to work for it. But love is another story. It gives itself as it will and to whom it will, and I can't control it. So knowing that—knowing you could try all your life and never succeed, and knowing that in the meantime, you're no more than a friend to me, and knowing that I will have other lovers—and that you will inevitably see me with them—and that you will have no right to be upset or hurt or jealous…. Knowing all these things, do you still want to try to win me back?"

He sat back on his heels, looking her in her eyes for a long moment before replying, "Like I said, even if you ask the impossible, I'll still try my hardest."

"There is, however, something thing you need to take care of before we can truly resume our friendship…." Avani said after a moment. "Illuminata. You treated her despicably, you know—you used her and lied to her. She didn't deserve that. Now you need to make amends with her. Not just apologizing and asking her to forgive you, though certainly that as well—you need to make _real_ amends for your actions. I'll leave it to you to decide how best to accomplish that, though naturally you're welcome to seek advice—from anyone but me or Lumie herself, that is. Once you've succeeded in that, I'll consider us friends again. Just think of it as the first step in winning back my trust."

She stood up, and looking down at Dylas thoughtfully, she said, "Do you remember how hard I had to work to earn first your friendship, and then your affection?" Dylas cringed and nodded, not meeting her gaze as she continued. "How rude you were, especially at first? The hurtful things you said to me, the way you'd just walk right by me, ignoring me completely? The way even your tail would switch in irritation whenever I'd approach you? Befriending you was one of the hardest tasks I've had since coming to Selphia. Defeating your Guardian monster was far easier than winning you over afterwards. Well, after all the effort I put in, you've set us back to square one. To get past that, you need to take care of Illuminata. Once you've settled things with her, I'll be willing to give you my _friendship_—which was more than you did for me—but love will be much more difficult to win."

She gestured for him to stand up, and as he did, she added, "Oh, and there's one last thing I want to clarify. I honestly don't care if you take other lovers. It won't affect how I feel about you one way or another. I can't imagine why you'd think I _did_ mind—if it bothered me, I would never have taken two myself. I don't do double standards, as you _should_ know by now. All I ask of you—of _either _of you—is that, first, if you are taking someone as your lover, it's because you truly love her and care for her—and yes, I really believe you can love more than one person at the same time, since it happened to me, after all —and second, that you are, in this and in _all_ matters, frank and honest with me. I was so hurt by your… your fling with Lumie _not_ because you slept with her, but because you used her and snuck around behind my back. You ought to know me well enough by now to know my attitude towards such things as multiple lovers is _far_ more relaxed than your own."

She walked over to her wardrobe and opened it, removing several articles of men's clothing that were not mine. "Here, you still have a bunch of things in my wardrobe. You've more or less switched positions with Leo, you know—now he's my lover, spending nights here with me, while you're the friend who maybe sometimes sleeps on the daybed in my study. So you really don't need to keep extra clothes here… for now, anyway. You can keep any equipment that you want here in my storeroom, though—that is, if you want the three of us to go back to working together again? After you've finished your first task, that is—not before."

Dylas looked away, saying, "I-I'd like that. To be able to go out and fight with you again, I mean. I always enjoyed that…."

Avani looked at him for a moment, then walked over to him and gently put her arms around him. "I'm glad you still want to be friends," she said in a soft voice. He blushed, then awkwardly returned her embrace. A moment later, she stepped back, saying, "You'd better get going on figuring out what to do for Lumie. I'll be busy for several days yet, training some of the others here to help with the defense of the town. As soon as I've finished that, however, I plan to see what I can do to get into Sechs territory and begin hunting Ethelberd down. So if you want to be a part of that campaign, you need to wrap things up as soon as you can. But—no shortcuts! Do it right, or not at all."

Dylas gathered up his clothing, leaving the equipment for now, and turning to Avani, he said, "I'll do my best to make things right again, with you as well as with Illuminata." And with that, he left.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	27. Chapter 27

**AN:** Beware of lemons!

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><p>As soon as the door closed behind him, Avani sighed, then turned to me. "Do you have work to do today? Or do you want to do something together?"<p>

"Well… I really should work on that translation…." I said, hesitantly. She looked so disappointed, though, that I grabbed her hand and pulled her firmly against me, saying "On the other hand, you're irresistibly cute. As you wish, My Lady—what did you have in mind?"

She looked up at me, her eyes half-closed, and ran her fingers through my hair, trailing them deliciously down my spine as she whispered, "The dungeons in Idra Cave."

I pulled back in surprise, then burst out laughing. "So here I've placed my body entirely at your disposal, to do with me as you will… and you want to go fight monsters?" I teased.

"Oh come on, you _know_ you want to!" she grinned up at me. "That's one of the things that _I_ love about _you_—we both get a thrill from excitement and danger. Dylas is much safer—he'll _never_ understand that side of me, and it'll always worry him and make him fuss over me. But I don't even need to try to explain it to _you_, because you get it."

I caressed her cheek affectionately, saying, "I suppose you have a point there. I dislike being bored immensely. And many people are just… dull—unless you tease them, that is."

"Hmmm, is that why you tease me so much?" she asked, looking up at me through her long eyelashes. "Am I boring to you otherwise?"

I swept her up in my arms, nibbling along her neck as I carried her to the bed. "Not at all," I murmured into her ear as I set her down and reached for the top button on her blouse. "You get more and more exciting every day—but even more so when teased."

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><p>Standing at the mouth of Idra Cave, I watched in amusement as Avani scowled at Arthur, hands on her hips as she stared down the elegant, poised young prince. "What do you <em>mean<em>, you don't have better armor? You're a _prince_! How can you not have better equipment than… than _this_?!" she scolded him, gesturing scornfully at his rudimentary equipage.

He took her berating good-naturedly, just shrugging with a smile. "Well," he replied, "since I specialize in commerce, I've just not needed anything better."

Avani sighed. "I suppose that's true enough… and I should have checked and not just assumed. But honestly, Arthur, you should invest in some better equipment. These are dangerous days in Norad, and as a prince, I'm sure you'd be a potential target. So promise me you'll see to that, okay? Because if you don't, _I'll find out_…." she said, in her scariest voice.

"Ahh, Avani, you're kind of scaring me, you know that?" Arthur said, drops of sweat beading on his brow as he laughed nervously.

"Good!" she said, cheerfully. "Then maybe you'll follow through! I just don't want you to get hurt, okay, Arthur? So _please_ promise me?" she looked up at him with a meltingly adorable look of concern that had me shaking with suppressed laughter, as I knew it was all an act—she knew how to turn on the charm when she wanted to, that was for sure. Arthur apparently didn't realize that, though, since he blushed bright pink and stammered out a promise to upgrade as soon as we returned.

Satisfied, Avani turned and peered into the cave.

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><p>After we'd made love, I gave in to her wish to go adventuring, even agreeing with a sigh when she said she wanted to bring Arthur with us for some training. I'd been looking forward to possibly exploring the caverns with her… in ways that precluded additional companions. Some other time, perhaps, I thought to myself. But I extracted a promise that in return, we'd do something afterwards that <em>I<em> wanted to do. She'd blushed so adorably at that—drawing her own conclusions as to what I might mean—that I almost dragged her back to bed right then. But instead I followed her downstairs to the storeroom where she kept her, and others', armor and weapons.

We grabbed our things and tracked Arthur down in his offices. He quickly agreed to Avani's proposal, and remembering the way I'd caught him looking at her, I thought that perhaps I'd need to keep an eye on this one. But then, I thought to myself, that could be said of _all_ the young men in town—even innocent Kiel—and perhaps even some of the ladies, remembering Amber's exuberant displays of affection and Margaret's recent mania for writing love songs and her nervous blushes whenever Avani was near.

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><p>"Okay. Arthur, since you're so <em>astonishingly<em> ill-equipped for serious combat, I want you to keep to the rear. Stick to spells, and I'll rely on you for healing, too. Okay?" Arthur nodded in agreement, and she continued.

"Leo, I'd like to see you work on your spear skills. Also, your defense isn't as well developed as I'd like, so I want you to work on that, too. Unfortunately, the only way to get that kind of experience is to just get in there and fight. I won't let them kill you _all_ the way, though, I promise." I grinned at her, and she grinned back at me before turning back to the cave opening. She pulled out her dual swords, and in a flash she was off and running into the first level of caverns.

The first level was by now relatively easy going—just a warm-up, really. Nevertheless, by the time we reached the rearmost cavern with the stairs to the second level, I noticed Arthur was already out of breath and falling behind. I caught up to Avani and warned her that the prince wasn't keeping up with her pace. "We're supposed to be helping him get stronger, Leo," she replied, although she slowed down as she spoke.

"Yes, but not if it kills him in the process, My Lady," I said with a smile. "Let's take a break before we continue, so he can catch his breath."

She looked dubious, so I called back to Arthur, "Hey, Arthur, we're going on down to the next level. We'll wait for you there. Take a break, catch your breath, and have a bite of food and a drink—you don't look too well. You'll be perfectly safe in this cavern, monsters never come this far back." He nodded as he paused for breath, too fatigued to speak.

I grabbed Avani's hand and pulled her down the stairs as she laughed despite her protests. I looked around the cavern, and decided that the adjacent cavern would best suit my requirements.

I pulled her through the narrow passage connecting the two caverns, then turning to her, I gave her a wicked grin. "Alone at last, My Lady."

"Mm-hmmm… and…?" she replied, cozying up to me and wrapping her arms around my neck. "Now what?"

I lifted her up and carried her over to the smooth wall of the cavern, then set her down and pushed her gently up against the wall. "Guess," I said, bending down to kiss her neck.

"Leo… what if Arthur comes in here?" she said, running her nails lightly down my spine, making me shiver with pleasure at the sensation.

I nipped her neck, sucking on the soft skin near her throat as she gasped and dug her nails into my back. "So what if he does?" I whispered throatily as I kissed and nibbled her ear. I reached a hand down and flipped up her skirt, then slid her panties down until they fell to the ground. She was already wet with anticipation, and I knew this wasn't going to be one of our longer lovemaking sessions.

I unbuckled my pants and let them slip down, then lifted her up, lowering her down onto me as I held her by her thighs, pressing her back against the wall for support. She broke free of our kiss with a gasp, and within just a few moments began to moan and gasp my name as she neared her climax, her legs tightening around my waist and her fingers tangled in my hair. I kissed her neck, then nibbled and sucked at it as her moans turned into breathless cries as she climaxed, squeezing tightly around me.

I felt an intense wave of heat surge through me as she shuddered and moaned in my arms, and with a few more deep thrusts, I reached the peak. I buried my face in her neck, nipping at her and groaning her name as I pumped into her. After a few slower thrusts, she kissed me and slipped down to the ground, leaning against the wall for a minute to catch her breath. I released her, pulled up my pants and fastened my belt. Then, with a wicked look at her, I quickly reached down and snatched up her panties before she could retrieve them.

"H-hey!" she exclaimed with a laugh, reaching for them. "Give them back!"

"Hmmm," I said, holding them up just out of reach as I pushed down on her head to keep her from jumping up to grab them. "I think I'll just hang on to these for now." I grinned down at her as she began to squirm.

"Leeooo!" she cried, looking alarmed and wriggling a little, "Please! I-I'm dripping! It's running down my leg!"

I laughed at her, saying, "Think of this is your punishment for inviting someone else along." Just then we heard Arthur calling for us as he came down the stairs. I quickly crammed the bit of silky pink fabric into my rucksack and grinned at her.

"Oh! You…! I'll get you for this!" she declared, giving me a black look as we went to join Arthur in the other cavern.

"I'm looking forward to it," I replied, grinning even more broadly at her.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	28. Chapter 28

**AN:** Today's chapter is a little shorter than usual—sorry! I rather like this chapter, though, despite its shortness. I hope you do, too! Thanks for reading!

* * *

><p>We returned to Avani's rooms shortly past 21:00. I helped her make a quick supper for the three of us while Arthur rested. He looked pretty worn out, but he'd done fairly well given the limitations of his gear and physical condition he was in. By the time our meal was ready, he was looking much better.<p>

"You know, Arthur," she said as we sat around the fireplace to eat, "you really need to get in shape. Your health is important!"

He smiled as he reached for some pickles. "Yes, I know. It's a matter of finding the time. But I appreciate your concern."

"At least promise me that you'll get in and see Jones soon. How long has it been since you last had a physical?"

"Ahh, well… rather longer than it should be, I know. Jones has been after me to get over to his clinic, but then I get busy with work and forget all about it. I'll try to get over there soon."

"I would recommend that," I interjected with a grin. "Otherwise… he just might sic Avani on you."

He looked over at her as she aimed a kick at my leg, then calmly said with his enigmatic smile, "I don't know that I would really mind that so very much." She looked at him in astonishment, her face pink, and I burst out laughing.

After he left, Avani turned to me with a raised eyebrow, saying, "Well, even though you pulled a dirty trick on me, I _did_ promise that we could do something you wanted to do. So… what will it be?"

"Dirty trick?" I exclaimed in protest, widening my eyes in mock innocence.

"Dirty and _mean_!" she replied emphatically, but with a wide grin—and I knew that I'd been forgiven… but also that she wouldn't soon forget. I'd need to keep my eyes open for a while, that much was certain.

I grinned back at her, and said, "Well, then, My Lady, you'd better get yourself undressed and right into that bed." She complied with my demand, slowly—even teasingly—removing her clothing and setting it aside to be laundered the next day, then slipping under the covers. She lay on her side, her head resting on her hand, and looked at me through her long eyelashes, a smirk on her lips.

I whisked off my clothing, tossing it on top of hers, and slid into bed next to her. I leaned over and gave her a long kiss as I caressed her back, then I whispered, "Good night, My Lady," rolled over, and blew out the lamp.

I heard a startled exclamation and said, "What? Were you expecting something more?"

"Uhh… I guess? Kind of… well, _yeah_!" she said, sounding perturbed and maybe more than a little disappointed.

"I said something that _I_ wanted to do, not that _we_ wanted to do—or are you telling me that you don't want to do that with me anymore?"

"Huh? No! That's not… I _do_… I just..." came her confused reply. A moment later, she said, "Then… what you wanted to do was just to go to bed early and go right to sleep?"

"I suppose that's one way of looking at it. Of course, the way _I_ see it is that the thing I want to do will be early in the morning. So it's best to get to sleep now, or we might oversleep tomorrow," I said, chuckling in the darkness.

I awoke Avani about an hour before dawn with breakfast in bed. Afterwards, I led her to the northeastern corner of the town, to the observatory there. We climbed the long, spiraling flight of stairs to the top of the tall tower, then stepped out onto the observation deck just as the sky was beginning to lighten in the east. Avani darted to the fence enclosing the deck and exclaimed in delight as the sky turned shades of rosy pink and dusky lavender.

"Hey, you. Come over here," I said to her, holding out an arm to her. She sidled up to me, the pastel colors of the sky reflected in her green eyes and on her fair skin.

"What a beautiful sunrise!" she sighed, snuggling against me as I put my arms around her. We watched in silence as the sun came up over the horizon, turning the sky a soft blue and casting both light and shadow across the valley before us.

I'd seen this view many times before—and not just recently. Thinking back to a distant time, watching the sun rise over these same hills and valleys, I suddenly felt nostalgic and lonesome. Although the places were the same, they had changed, too—in both distinct and subtle ways. And it was the more subtle alterations to the landscape I had once known so well that caused the deepest pangs in my heart: the different boundaries of the forests; the trees that had been but mere saplings when I was a lad now ancient old-growth patriarchs of the woods; the rivers that now flowed along a different path than in my time; the distant mountains that had once been craggy and young but now were worn down by wind and rain.

Holding her tightly to me, I looked out across the landscape and asked, "Tell me, what do you think of the view from up here? How does it make you feel?" I watched her as she looked down across the valley and the town below, and to my surprise, I saw a glimmer of a tear glittering like a tiny jewel in the corner of her eye.

"I…." she started hesitantly, then stopped.

"Yes? Go ahead, My Lady. You can tell me anything," I said softly, giving her another squeeze.

She swallowed hard, as if forcing back tears, and said, "It makes me feel… lonely. Isolated." I started, too startled by her words to respond. She looked quickly up at me, asking, "Is something wrong?"

"No," I said, smiling down at her. "I was just… surprised. Surprised to hear you voice my own thoughts."

"You feel the same way up here?" she asked me curiously.

I nodded, looking back across the terrain again. "It's the same view I remember from my childhood, yet… it's _not_ the same—not quite. And that just reminds me anew of all that I've lost—how so much that was once familiar to me has vanished and been forgotten with the passage of centuries. Being the sole living relic of my era… it's a lonely feeling. Sometimes I almost feel crushed under the unbearable weight of the ages that separate me from my own time."

She nodded, a wistful look in her eyes. "I think I understand what you mean. With me—and maybe with you, too?—I feel like I don't _really_ belong here. I mean, everyone's been kind and welcoming and friendly—it's not that. But… most of the people in town have roots here. They were born here, their parents were born here, and so on, for generations back sometimes. And even those who moved here from elsewhere, like Vishnal, still have well-established roots nearby. But you and I—and the other three Guardians, too—we don't _have_ any roots anymore. We've all lost ours, one way or another. We're transplants in an alien world—outsiders looking in at the window. And being up here on this tower, looking down at the town below, just increases that sense of detachment. And that makes me feel lonely… even when I'm not alone."

I gave her another squeeze, and we held each other tightly as we watched the town waking below us, Avani leaning her head against my chest. And I believe… I believe she really did understand.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	29. Chapter 29

**AN:** The event involving Barrett that is referenced in this chapter is the one detailed in my oneshot "Three Little Words". Thank you for reading, please let me know how you are liking the story! :)

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><p>We spent most of the next several days going out on training missions, preparing the most able-bodied townsfolk in case they were needed to help defend Selphia. Arthur kept his word, investing in better quality armor and weapons the very next day. Avani also took greater care to check what gear her trainees had before taking them out—and supplying them as best she could with what they lacked.<p>

She had originally planned to ask Dylas to help her with those who preferred armed combat to magic, but he'd all but disappeared. Even Porcoline said he'd hardly seen him at all lately—he would come in late at night, go straight to bed, and be gone again long before he himself awoke. Avani looked concerned but said nothing, leaving him to go about his own business in his own way. In the meantime, I helped her out in his place, which didn't do _me_ any harm, either.

After more than two weeks of intensive training with only a few days of rest, Avani felt satisfied. Everyone still had a ways to go, but they'd improved dramatically. If they kept up training on their own, she told Arthur and Forte, they'd soon find themselves a force to be reckoned with. The only one who didn't make substantial progress was Amber—but Avani gave her up as a lost cause after a couple of outings. She was just too sweet and innocent to be a fighter, so she asked Doug to please take special care of her as well as Granny Blossom if anything happened.

She met with Arthur the day after she declared the initial phase of training to be over and found that he'd finally managed to secure a disembarkation point on the far side of the destroyed bridge. It had not been easy, he said, because they needed a place that was secluded enough to not draw attention, and that was sheltered from the extreme winds and rock slides that happened along the Maya Road—particularly important now that the winter snows had hit. But finally he'd found a place that seemed ideal.

Meanwhile, he'd asked Volkanon to see to repairing the bridge, as he apparently was an expert at bridge-building. He refused to leave Venti's side, however, so he instead trained Clorica to complete the task—with a little help.

Clorica approached Avani the following morning as we broke our fast and asked for her assistance with the bridge repairs—she had the knowledge to construct the bridge, she said, but not the strength to gather and maneuver the heavy materials. Avani agreed, and the two soon departed. I settled down to my long-neglected translation and spent the day working.

Avani returned home just past sunset, exhausted and grimy from the day's work. As I came down the stairs leading to her study, she dropped down into one of her chairs, saying wearily, "It's finished. I swear there isn't a muscle in my body that doesn't ache."

I smiled at my lover, beautiful to me regardless of the sweat that soaked her clothing and the thick layer of grime. I gathered her up in my arms and kissed her, tasting and smelling the salty tang of sweat and the earthiness of soil and stone and timber. "Would you like a hot bath, My Lady?"

"More than anything," she replied fervently, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Then you shall have one," I said, carrying her out the back door.

She let out a sharp exclamation when she realized that I intended to carry her the whole way there, but I refused to set her down. "You're much too tired to walk so far," I murmured into her ear, "and besides, I rather enjoy holding you close to me. I'll leave you to Xiao's tender care and fetch you some clean clothing while you enjoy a long soak. Take as much time as you like."

She was completely recovered by morning, and at breakfast she said she wanted to leave for the Maya Road the following day—with or without Dylas. Her defensive preparations for the town were complete, so all that remained was to equip us for the journey. "I'll leave word first thing for Dylas, letting him know. Can you arrange for supplies, while I handle our weapons and armor?" she asked as we finished our coffee, reaching for a pad of paper and a pencil as she spoke.

"Yes, I should be able to handle that," I replied. "Do you plan to return to town each night, or try to camp along the Maya Road?"

"I don't think it's feasible to camp along there. The strong winds would likely blow us off a cliff in our sleep, and although there _are_ caves, I understand that they're populated by strange, dangerous monsters about which little is known. I think I'd prefer to return to town when possible, but prepare emergency camping gear, just in case, okay? And I don't know when, or even if, we'll hear from Dylas—whether he'll be able to join us or not."

"As you wish, My Lady," I replied, giving her a kiss as she dashed off to deliver her note and begin her day's work.

A little while later, after I'd washed up from breakfast and was pulling on my clothes to go see to our gear, the front door banged open and Dylas burst in, breathless and panting, clutching a piece of paper in his hand. After taking a moment to catch his breath, he gasped, "Is-is Avani here? I need to talk to her."

I raised an eyebrow at him as I fastened my belt buckle rather emphatically, then said coolly, "I think she's still out back, doing her morning chores. What's up?"

He pushed past me, racing out the back door, but he called back, "I need you guys to wait just one more day—then I think I'll be able to join you." I stared after him for a moment, then shrugged as I grabbed my vest and followed to see what transpired.

He caught up to her just as she began to empty bushels of fruit from her orchard into her shipping bin. I strolled up just as he was saying, "I've nearly finished my preparations for making up to Illuminata. It took a long time to… well, to track down what I needed. But it everything won't be ready until tomorrow. So please, can you wait just one more day? Then I can come with you, if you will let me, I mean. Please, Avani. I want to come with you. I want to fight by your side again."

She placed the last of the apples into the bin and banged the lid shut. "Give me a minute to think, Dylas. I need to tend to my beasts right now." She dropped the bushel baskets next to the bin and headed into her barn.

Dylas trailed along after her, and I followed. We kept out of her way, following her from one room to another as she tended her beasts. She was silent as she worked, first making a quick run through to gather the day's produce and add it to the shipping bin just in time for the morning pick-up, then making a second pass to groom her monsters. As she brushed her beasts, she seemed to be lost in thought, murmuring to them absentmindedly.

Finally, while she brushed Baldur's gleaming, metallic coat as the wolf grinned with pleasure, licking her face in appreciation, she looked at Dylas and said, "I'll give you one more day, Dylas. I don't deny that it would be nice to have you along—you're a good fighter, and the Maya Road is a dangerous place. But I also can't keep postponing forever. Winter's here now, and the weather is only going to get worse the longer I delay."

She gave one final stroke with the brush to Baldur's coat, then scratched his ears before she continued. "You'll need to get your gear in order first. So sometime today, please take stock of your equipment and let me know if you need repairs or replacements for your armor and weapons. I think most of it is still in my storeroom. Go ahead on in when you're ready; you know where it is. I'll do what I can to outfit you. Leo is taking care of other arrangements—food, medical supplies, and so on. If you come along, I'll put you in charge of cooking, so you'll need to let Leo know if there's anything particular you want him to get. He's also going to pack camping gear, just in case—I don't intend to camp overnight in such a hostile environment, but it's best to be prepared. We'll need to travel lightly, though—I don't plan to bring Baldur this time."

She put her brush away in her pack, stroking the big wolf's head as he gazed up at her adoringly and whined, knowing she was talking about him. She turned back to Dylas and said, "Check in with me or Leo sometime before 20:00 and let us know what you need, and I'll work on your gear tomorrow. You can sleep in my guest bed tomorrow night, and we'll leave early the following morning. All of this is assuming that I approve of what you do tomorrow with regards to Lumie, of course."

He nodded, then turned and started to leave, but Avani grabbed his arm and stopped him. Looking him in the eyes with a long, steady gaze, she said, "Dylas… don't disappoint me."

He met her gaze and nodded, standing a little straighter as he said, "I won't." Then she let him go and he dashed out of the barn.

I looked at Avani, then put my arm around her shoulders as we walked back to her room. "Well," I said looking wistfully into her eyes, "I can't deny feeling _some_ regret that we won't be working alone, with all those lovely, dark caves to… explore. But you're right that it'll be good to have another fighter with us. And while I wish we could take someone who isn't a rival for your affection, Dylas _is_ the strongest fighter in town. Except, of course, for us," I added with an audacious grin, earning a chuckle.

"Well," she said, as she unloaded the produce she'd set aside from that morning's harvest into her refrigerator, "since I have some extra time now, I think I'll see about expanding my barn. It's getting crowded, and I'd like room for a few additions. I'll see you at dinner tonight, if not before," she said, then pulled me down to her and kissed me. "Thanks for your help, Leo. I love you." Then she was sprinting out the door again before I could muster a reply.

I spent the day working out what supplies we'd need and making arrangements with the shops in town to get those supplies delivered. I ordered rice, dried fruits, dried fish, root vegetables, and so on to pick up the next day. Afterwards, I spent a few hours fishing, to stock Avani's refrigerator with fish for quick meals at her house either before or after the day's efforts.

When I returned to her rooms, I found a large box on her coffee table with an envelope resting on the top. It was sealed, but I could detect faint traces of earthy smells coming from it, as well as something… some_one_ familiar that I couldn't quite place, like a word just at the tip of one's tongue.

I was just examining the envelope, which bore no name, when Avani walked in the back door. "What's that?" she asked, curiously, as she hung up her barn jacket.

"No idea, it was just sitting here when I arrived. There's no name, but I assume it's for you as this is, after all, your home."

"Hmmm, curious," she said as she took the envelope from my hand. She opened it and read the script on the enclosed card, her cheeks flushing deep pink as she read.

"What is it?" I asked, intrigued by her reaction.

She didn't answer, but instead opened the box. Inside was a selection of rare minerals and ores, including gold, platinum, and even a little of the very rare ore called orichalcum. I whistled, saying, "Well, _somebody_ knows you well! Who is it from?"

"It…it's from Barrett. He says here that it's to thank me for my 'compassionate relief'. He also says he thinks I'll find these useful to our preparations for our upcoming campaign."

I was surprised, to put it lightly. I recalled the recent… assistance… to which he referred with a frown, my ear twitching in annoyance at the reminder—it had been an unpleasant experience for me, and I'd found it more difficult than I cared to admit to maintain a friendly demeanor towards the man for some days afterwards. Even now, having more or less regained my equanimity, I still very much disliked to be reminded of it, even in such a benign way. Though when I considered it, even the exorbitantly expensive orichalcum wasn't worth as much as ten minutes alone with Avani—and _he'd_ had several hours. You just can't put a price on the priceless, I thought ruefully to myself, although I did at least appreciate the timeliness of the gift.

We'd just finished dinner and started to wash up when there was a knock on the door. I dried my hands and went to answer it, finding Dylas waiting on the doorstep, his arms full of equipment. I let him in, and he said, "I've looked over what I have and figured out what I think I'll need. Is… is Avani around?"

Just then she stepped out of the kitchen, having heard his voice. "So what will you need?" she asked, eying the gear he had brought with him and gesturing to the sitting area. He dropped it on the floor by a chair and sat down, and Avani sat on the end of the sofa nearest to him. I sat next to her, placing my arm around her shoulders, and we had a look at what Dylas had brought.

"First, my armor is kind of battered. It would probably be fine with just some repairs, though of course I'm always grateful for any improvements. Same with my boots—the soles in particular are getting pretty worn. My headgear seems to be holding up okay. Now for my gloves…" and he pulled out from the pile some decrepit fighting gloves. "Of course my gloves get the hardest use, so they always seem to wear out the fastest. So if it wouldn't be too much trouble…."

"Don't be silly, Dylas. Do you think I'd ever send you into combat unprepared? You should have heard me chewing Arthur out a while back when he brought out some really low-grade crap! Remember that, Leo?" she said, turning to me with a grin.

"Every minute of it," I said slowly, in a low voice, looking at her suggestively as I gave her shoulder a squeeze. I had the pleasure of seeing her blush deeply as she caught my meaning.

Clearing her throat as she turned back to Dylas, she continued, "A-anyway, as I was saying…. Of course it's no trouble. I'll see what I can do for you tomorrow. Barrett just today sent us a very kind gift of some valuable materials, so I should be able to come up with some pretty good weapons for all of us, at the very least."

Dylas frowned, looking puzzled. "Barrett? Why would _he_ do something like that? He seems like a nice guy—but not _that_ nice. Not that rich, either."

"It…it's a long story," Avani said with a sigh. "But I guess he felt like he owed me a… a favor, and apparently this was how he chose to repay it. It was unnecessary, of course—friends help friends in need, and that's all I did, really. But I'm grateful to have them, so I won't complain."

"_I_ might," I muttered.

Avani shot me a warning glance, and Dylas looked sharply at me as she went on. "I don't know what you have planned for tomorrow… when do you expect to have some free time?"

"Oh, ahh… about that. I wondered if you could be there, too? I think everything will be in place by lunchtime, so if you could meet me at Porcoline's at midday… and if it's not too much to ask, could you maybe bring Illuminata with you? She doesn't know I have anything planned, so please don't mention me—just bring her along somehow. If you don't mind? You can come, too," he added, looking over at me. "I've arranged for lunch. There'll be grilled fish…."

"I'll be there," I added with a wide grin.

"Great. Then… I guess I'll leave my stuff here and see you around 12:00 tomorrow? I think… I _hope_ that I'll be free the rest of the day, after lunch. So I can do anything you want then." He rose, and we walked him to the door. He turned and waved goodbye, and as we waved back, I leaned down and kissed Avani's neck, pulling her back into the room before closing and locking the door behind us.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	30. Chapter 30

**AN:** Aww, Dylas! XD Thanks for reading! I'd love to hear what you thought of this little subplot! :)

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><p>"I wonder what he has planned?" Avani wondered out loud the next morning as we washed up after breakfast.<p>

"Well, My Lady, in just a few hours, you'll have the opportunity to find out," I said, smiling at her as I took a cup from her to dry.

"I suppose… I hope I can persuade Illuminata to come. At least it's her day off today, so it's just a matter of tracking her down. You'll come, too, won't you?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," I said with a grin.

"Meaning that whether he succeeds or fails, you expect to be amused one way or another?" she replied drily.

"My Lady, I'm hurt by your accusations. Do you really think me so insensitive?" I said, feigning injury.

She just grinned up at me, then setting her washcloth down, she reached up with still-damp hands, twining her fingers in my hair as she pulled me down for a long, slow kiss. "I'd say you're _very_ sensitive," she murmured into my ear as she felt the rapidly-enlarging bulge in my pants pressing against her.

"And I'd say _you're_ trouble, My Lady—perfectly delightful trouble," I replied huskily, as I swept her up into my arms and carried her back to bed.

We found Illuminata by the lake around half past 11:00, sitting on a rock and gazing pensively into the mirror-like waters. She started as we approached her, and said with a sad smile, "You two always look so happy together. I wish…." Then she blushed and turned back to the lake with a sigh.

"Hey, Lumie," Avani said gently, laying a hand on the elf's shoulder. "I wondered if you'd care to join us for lunch at Porcoline's? I'd really love it if you could come."

Lumie hesitated, still gazing into the water. She sighed again, saying, "Sure. I mean, it's not like I have anywhere else to be, right?" She turned red and looked quickly at Avani, saying hastily, "Oh! I'm sorry. That sounded so rude. I didn't mean it that way… I'm just… I guess I'm feeling unusually lonely today. Never mind me. I've just been reminiscing, and that always make me feel blue. But I'd love to come, if you really don't mind."

"We'd be delighted," Avani replied, holding her hand out to pull the elf to her feet. The three of us strolled through the town, heading to the restaurant.

When we arrived, Avani looked quickly around, spotting Dylas watching for us at the counter. He came over, looking slightly flushed and nervous. Illuminata started when she saw him, turning scarlet as she looked at him, then Avani, and then back at him before looking away.

"Oh! Ummm, hello, Dylas," she said nervously.

"Hello, Illuminata, Avani, Leon. This way, please," he said, leading us towards the back of the restaurant.

To my surprise, though, he continued on through the doors connecting the restaurant to Arthur's offices. He held the door as Avani passed through, then myself, and finally Lumie trailing slightly behind. The room was empty except for a man I didn't recognize—there was no sign of Arthur or any other visitors. I looked curiously at the stranger for a quick moment. He was an elf, I could see that right away by his long, narrow ears. He had the slim build of most elves, as well. Shaggy, blue-black hair hung down nearly covering his cobalt blue eyes as he turned to look at us.

His face lit up, and he exclaimed in a deep voice, "Posy? Is it really you?"

Lumie stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widening. "D-Deasún?" She ran forward, throwing her arms around the man's neck, a strangled sob escaping her throat as she held him tightly.

He lifted her up and spun her around, looking utterly jubilant. "My darling Posy! I thought I'd never find you! I thought I'd lost you for good…." And he pulled her to him, holding her tightly as they both wept and smiled and embraced each other.

I looked at Dylas and Avani, saying, "I think we should leave these two alone. Don't you agree?"

Avani slowly nodded, gaping in astonishment at the sight of the normally mature elf acting like a schoolgirl. Dylas started to lead the way back to the restaurant, but the elf man quickly set Lumie down and sprang to grab his hand with both of his.

"Wait—before you leave, I want to say thank you. Without your help, I might never have found my Posy again."

Lumie looked up at the man, saying, "_Dylas_? How did he…?"

"We have a lot of catching up to do, pet," he smiled down at her. "I'll tell you all about it in due time." She hesitated, then returned his smile, and he took her hands to lead her to Arthur's sitting area, where I could see a splendid lunch had been spread for two. We left them alone and returned to the restaurant, where Dylas sat us down at a private table set for three and headed off towards the kitchen.

Avani looked at him in wonder when he returned with our lunches. "What… what was that all about?" she asked.

He sat and sipped at his milk for a moment, then he set his glass down and, looking down at his hands on his lap, he said, "After… after you found me with Illuminata and got so angry—and you had every right to be, I know—and told me that I needed to make amends with her before we could be friends again, I spent a whole day trying to think of what I could do to repair the damage I'd done. It was hard—thinking's not something I'm good at, you know. But I kept at it until it started to get dark. Then finally it dawned on me… she'd been willing only because she was so lonely. I thought I remembered someone mentioning that she'd once had a lover, so I asked around—discreetly, of course. I didn't ask Kiel or Amber, at least," he added, looking up at Avani.

He paused for a moment, taking another sip of his milk before continuing, "Anyway, it was Dolce—or rather, Pico—who finally shed some light. Apparently, one day while Dolce was visiting Amber, Pico heard a noise coming from Illuminata's room and snuck in there. You know how she can be invisible and intangible whenever she wants. So anyway, Pico found Illuminata sitting at her desk with her head on her arms, crying and holding a worn photograph of an elf man. She described him to me, and that was my first clue.

"The next thing I did was to find where she came from. Meg was able to help me with that—elves are kind of clannish, I guess. So then I spent days going to her old village and talking to people there. I found that the elf in the photograph was a man named Deasún, and that he'd been her lover for many years, until he just up and disappeared some time ago, breaking Illuminata's heart. That's why she left and came to Selphia—to try to forget. I thought that I was screwed then, since no one seemed to know anything about him after that.

"But I lucked out again—I just happened to stumble across an elderly elf priest who recognized his name and description—and had even seen him fairly recently, within the past year. Then it was just a matter of tracking him down from there and persuading him to come to Selphia and meet up with Illuminata. It seems that he'd left because he felt he was getting to be too settled and had some pretty bad wanderlust. But that was several years ago, and he'd been missing her lately and thinking about her a lot, but he hadn't had any luck finding her. When I mentioned that she had stayed single all that time, he got really excited and couldn't wait to see her again. So I arranged to have him come out here, and talked Arthur into letting me borrow his office so that they'd have a quiet place to catch up. I… I really hope it works out for her," he said, looking down at his hands again. "I feel awful for what I did. To both of you."

I happened to glance out the window just then, and spotted the elf man strolling past the restaurant, Lumie clinging to his arm and gazing rapturously up at him as they chatted, oblivious to the world around them, and I said with a smile, "I think the early signs are very favorable."

Avani was dumbstruck for a few minutes, just staring at Dylas with tears in her eyes as he sat looking at his hands and not meeting her gaze. Finally, she said, "Dylas, that was… that was incredibly sensitive of you. You managed to figure out just what she needed, you put forth a lot of effort in obtaining it, and you presented it to her in a very charming manner. I… I'm impressed, I have to say."

He looked quickly up at her, saying hopefully, "Then… does that mean… we're friends again?"

She stood up and walked over to him, then knelt down next to him and folded her arms around him, holding him tightly and resting her cheek against his as she laughed, "Yes, you silly, wonderful horse—very good friends. I couldn't be more pleased. Thank you, Dylas." He turned scarlet and looked away, but he looked happier than I'd seen him look in a very long time indeed.

Things were getting interesting.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	31. Chapter 31

**AN:** Thanks for reading, and I hope you are enjoying the story so far!

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><p>Gripping her paired swords tightly in her hands, glaring defiantly in her fury, Avani shouted, "Ethelberd, Emperor of Sechs! Return the rune spheres to me!"<p>

The silver-haired despot slowly turned, a malevolent smile twisting the corners of his mouth. "So, you have come at last, Earthmate of Selphia. Relax! I have something… most interesting to show you." As he pulled out a rune sphere, laughing darkly, I decided I had a really bad feeling about this.

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><p>It had taken several long, hard days to catch up to Ethelberd. First, we had to cross the Maya Road, the dangerous mountain pass that was the sole connection between the two kingdoms for hundreds of miles in either direction along the border. The road itself was bad enough, with its many ferocious monsters. Man-sized Heracles beetles attempted to impale us on their long horns. Foul-tempered trolls tried to crush us with their massive war hammers. Enormous black birds that strove to blast us off the many ice-slicked precipices with the wind generated by their powerful wings. Enraged hornet queens as big as my arm, relentless planchoas, vicious airrors, and wily green fey attacked us at every turn, not to mention strong gusts of wind and boulders tumbling down from the slopes around us, threatening to crush us or blow us off the mountains all together. But all of that was as nothing compared with the dangers that had lurked below in the unmapped caves below the mountains.<p>

The caves beneath the Maya Road were dank and dark, dimly lit by weird, spongy growths on the cavern walls that glowed with a sickly, unnatural light. A few caverns also had large outcrops of rune crystals, the largest of which cast a faint blue light that reflected off the smaller clusters of crystals.

The caves were populated with trolls, giant beetles, slimes, and fairies that all seemed to be much stronger and hardier than their aboveground counterparts. They were all characterized by a common, vile appearance—skins and shells all shades of green and blue and purple, calling to mind heavy bruising or decay. Upon closer inspection, Avani decided that these bizarre monsters were undead—zombie forms of the creatures that dwelled along the Maya Road and some parts of the Autumn Road, probably reanimated by some spell or perhaps the result of some toxin. We all felt a singular loathing—coupled with not a little fear—of the denizens of the caves, though, and I know I shuddered whenever we found ourselves below ground yet again—whether forced to go beneath due to a blocked path or falling through one of many holes or weak spots in the road.

Initially, we had returned to town each night to rest and mend our equipment, but progress was so difficult, so _slow_, that we soon abandoned that plan. Instead we huddled together in whatever shelter we could find from the icy winds, or occasionally camped down in the caves, staying close to the stairs carved into the rock leading down from the surface. We took it in turns to keep watch, since fires were impossible—there was too little fuel at that altitude, and anyway the surface was too windy and the caves too damp. We also gave up on cooking, instead relying on dried and preserved foods and hardtack. Fortunately there was adequate potable water—we even found a tiny but deep lake near the summit of the highest peak, Mount Maya itself.

After a few days of pursuit, we finally reached the end of the Maya Road and caught up to the Sechs soldiers. However, by that time, they had already summoned a clone of the Fire Dragon, God of Destruction: Fiersome. This clone, while certainly challenging, was, if anything, easier to defeat than Terrable's clone had been. Although Fiergaenger was more powerful than Terraclone, we had grown quite a bit in both strength and skill in the interim. In addition, we now had better equipment. So although we were exhausted, scorched, and wounded at the end, nevertheless we defeated him without critical injury to any of the three of us.

We spent that night in the very place where Fiergaenger had fallen. The following morning, we cautiously crossed the border into Sechs territory, keenly aware that we were now in enemy territory—a small but determined invasion. Mountainous and harsh, the terrain just beyond the border crossing was perpetually covered in ice and snow. A contingent of Viking orcs and ogres awaited us as we cautiously proceeded—larger, stronger, and far more vicious than their smaller kin, they fought with a ferocity as savage as the terrain surrounding us. We slashed our way through hordes of ogres, orcs, mammoos, tundras, and many lesser monsters, and eventually came to a cave with two openings in the floor. After a rest and a meal—the first time we'd managed a fire and an actual hot, cooked meal in days—we examined the openings in the ground and decided to take the western hole. We leapt down and worked our way through the caverns, exiting somewhere far north and west of the border crossing.

After fighting through an onslaught of golden hunter wolves, silver wolves, icy plant monsters, and sealies, we finally arrived at the summit of a small, snowy peak, where we found Ethelberd standing at the cliff's edge, his back to us as he stared intently at something below.

Avani approached him, her footsteps muffled by the newly-fallen snow, and Dylas and I assumed our default positions on either side of her. I looked at her, wondering why she hesitated, and was surprised by the play of conflicting emotions across her face: fury, fear, sorrow, disgust, curiosity, confusion. After a moment, she seemed to pull herself together and steel herself, and she called out to her foe.

* * *

><p>Ethelberd held the rune sphere out before him, taunting her as he laughed. "You should feel <em>honored<em>, Earthmate. I'm going to show you something few have seen—something beyond the ken of mere mortals!" With that, he incanted the Omni Gate spell, and a small green dragonlet appeared before him, hissing and flailing his wings angrily.

"See this dragon? It's small, ordinary—weak!" he crowed, contemptuously kicking a foot towards the youngster, who thrashed its tail and snapped its jaws. "But," the emperor continued, with a triumphant gleam in his eyes, "I happen to have a part of a Native Dragon here. Watch closely!"

He pulled out a deep blue scale or fin and threw it to the ground near the dragonlet. Stepping back, he incanted the forbidden Etherlink magic, and we watched in fascination and horror as the dragonlet and fin were drawn together and merged. In a flash of blinding light, a massive blue and gold dragon appeared in their place: a copy of Aquaticus, the Water Dragon, God of Transformations.

"Behold my creation, Earthmate: Aquameleon! See how I now create Native Dragons at will? Not even you and your kind have achieved the like!" He cackled with insane glee as he stepped back. "Now, Earthmate, let the games begin!" And with that, he turned and strode down the trail, leaving us to the dragon.

The clone soared up and spun around in a tight circle, then with a booming roar, he towered over us. As he twisted to the side and circled around us, undulating through the air, Avani charged at him with her lightning-quick dual swords. I cast a Flame Wheel, knowing that he would be most vulnerable to the element of fire, and Dylas flew in with a powerful series of rapid punches, striking the monster in his neck before he could glide past. With a sibilant howl, it whirled and dove, striking at us with its huge fins and horned snout. Scattering to dodge its blows, we quickly regrouped and again moved in to attack, only to have it once more shimmy just out of reach.

The battle lasted over two hours. Whenever we'd close in to attack, the beast would heave out of our reach to throw spells at us or to whirl around and lash us with his serpentine tail. His spells were devastating—small globes of water that shot water lasers at us, larger globes with water laser that swept across the field, and worst of all, clusters of bubbles that attacked us, paralyzing us or putting us to sleep altogether. Several times, one or more of us was near death. Yet each time, either Avani or I managed to heal everyone before it was too late—a testament to our improving skills.

We were nearing the end of our strength when, sensing our exhaustion, the dragon hovered in close and reared up, preparing to deal a final blow. Avani summoned the last of her strength, and with a shout, executed her whirling dual blade attack, slashing across the monster's weak belly scores of times in a matter of minutes just as it started to crash down upon us. Dylas and I leapt out of its path as it crashed on top of her spinning blades, bellowing and thrashing in its death throes before vanishing in an explosion of light, its runes returned to its native land.

I darted in to Avani's aid, with Dylas close on my heels. "My Lady!" I shouted as I reached her, crumpled and unconscious on the red-stained snow. I carefully rolled her over onto her back, and I saw that she had been badly injured by the dragon's horns and clawed fins during her final attack. None of the injuries were critical in themselves, but blood seeped from a profusion of wounds, both major and minor. I had little strength left for healing after that battle, but I used what little I had. Casting a healing spell on her, I could see her wounds begin to close before my eyes.

Meanwhile, unable to assist with healing, Dylas dug through his rucksack for any food supplies he had left. He found a couple of sandwiches that he hadn't yet eaten and fed them to me, restoring my strength enough to cast another healing spell on Avani. Her eyelids fluttered and opened as she regained consciousness, though she still appeared dazed. I cast one last healing spell on her, and she rose and stood, somewhat shakily, and looked around her. She was still weak from loss of blood, but at least her wounds were now closed, though it would take at least one more healing spell or a few days of rest before they were completely healed.

As Dylas and I joined her, we heard cackling behind us. Turning in unison, we faced Ethelberd as he dropped down from whatever perch he'd hidden in to watch the battle. He paced around us to the far side of the field, near the edge of the precipice, chortling all the while. Finally he turned and stared at Avani. "Well done, Earthmate," he growled. "You've even defeated my Native Dragon. Very interesting, indeed! Now, then." He turned his head and gave a loud shout. Turning back to us with a malevolent grin, he said, "I've prepared the ideal battleground, just for you, Earthmate of Selphia! Join me, high above the clouds!"

As he spoke, a distant rumble grew louder and louder, then an airship hove into view above the craggy cliff. With a roar of laughter, Ethelberd turned to board the ship. However, before he could take a step, Doug suddenly burst onto the scene. "Not so fast!" he shouted, charging at the emperor.

Without even turning to acknowledge Doug's attack, Ethelberd rapidly sidestepped, dodging Doug's attack, then cast an energy spell that knocked him clear across the field. Turning with a glower of disgust, he snarled, "Keep your filthy hands off me, dwarf!"

Avani raced to Doug, who struggled to sit up, cursing weakly. Dylas ran up right behind her, and kneeling next to him, checked him for injuries. "Bah. How… disagreeable," Ethelberd snapped. Turning again to Avani, he said, "I will await you in my floating fortress, Earthmate. Of course, you have no choice but to follow me. If you fail to come of your own will, I will ensure that you come without it."

"Wh-what are you saying?" Doug groaned, leaning against Dylas for support.

Still staring intently at Avani, Ethelberd replied, "You will find out soon enough, wretched creature." Again addressing Avani, he continued, grinning evilly. "I will hunt down every last Earthmate, and I will torture and torment _every single one _of you—men, women, and children alike—until your kind is completely and utterly annihilated." Then he swung himself up onto the waiting airship with an exultant laugh, and the ship soared away.

Avani had bounded after him, but he had moved too quickly. Standing at the very edge of the precipice, she screamed "son of a bitch!" after his rapidly vanishing ship. She turned and looked at us, and there was desperation in her eyes. "He's insane! Even the children…. He's no longer merely a threat to Selphia, or even to all of Norad. He means to wage all-out genocide."

Doug struggled to his feet with Dylas's assistance as she scrambled and skidded back down the icy path. "Are you all right?" she called out in concern.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. And I've got something here for you," he panted. Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out a glowing blue stone.

"A-a Rune Sphere!" Avani gasped, looking at him in astonishment.

"Yeah," he said with a feeble attempt at laughter. "I managed to sneak one from him. Serves the bastard right…." And then he collapsed.

Dylas grabbed him and kept him from falling to the ground. Avani shouted his name as she and I both sprang forward to catch him. "My Lady! The Sphere!" I reminded her as it slipped from his hand. She caught it, and Dylas and I supported Doug as she cast Escape repeatedly to return us to town.

At the clinic, Doug revived briefly. As Jones mildly lectured him for his recklessness, Arthur burst in. "Avani! Doug! I hear we've recovered one of the Rune Spheres!"

"Yes, thanks to Doug," Avani said, grinning down at the groggy dwarf.

Arthur turned to him, saying, "Well done. You have our thanks." Doug smiled and gave a thumbs-up before falling back on his pillow with a groan.

Turning back to Avani, Arthur said, "It would be well to return it to one of the rune spots as soon as possible. However, if we don't post an adequate guard, it may just be stolen again. Once the reinforcements have arrived…."

Before he could complete his sentence, there was a violent tremor and a loud crashing sound. "Earthquake?" I exclaimed. Just then, Xiao Pai came running into the clinic, looking terrified.

"Avani!" she cried. "It seems that there is something in the sky! Come to the observation tower, yes?" She turned and ran out again, the four of us close behind.

At the top of the tower, we found Forte focusing on something to the southwest. "Look, over there!" she shouted as we burst out onto the observation deck. Our eyes followed her gesture, and over the Selphia Plains, we saw what appeared to be an island fortress hovering high in the sky.

"What the hell is that thing?" Dylas exclaimed, his eyes widening.

"I have no idea," Arthur replied. "I've never seen or heard of anything like this before."

"Impressive. How do they keep something so massive afloat? Truly technology has advanced far beyond anything my people ever dreamed of or imagined." I commented.

"Don't _praise_ them!" Forte snapped at me.

"No, he's right," Arthur said in his gentle voice. "It _is_ impressive—and terrifying."

"This must be what he meant when he mentioned the 'ideal battleground' and his 'floating fortress'," Avani murmured, staring at the monstrosity speculatively.

I looked quickly at her. "Yes, I believe you're right. And that means…."

"That means that smug son-of-a-bitch is waiting up there for us," Dylas interrupted, glaring skyward.

Avani shook her head as she quietly corrected him. "Waiting for _me_."

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	32. Chapter 32

**AN:** Sorry this is a little on the late side today. The game that comprises a lot of this chapter took a looong time to make up and write. I hope you enjoy reading it, and I'd love to hear what you think!

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><p>As we left the tower, Forte stopped Avani. "Avani, are you ready for this? You know that they'll attack as soon as you approach. I want you to be sure you're prepared."<p>

Avani put her hand on the tall woman's shoulder, saying with a smile, "Thank you, Forte, for your concern. You've trained me well, and I think I'm prepared for whatever they throw at me. I wish you could join me, but I know that you are essential to the defense of the town."

Forte looked down at the small warrior as she turned back to Arthur, her harsh expression softening. "'And lo, the student shall become the master, and the master, the student,'" I heard her say in a low voice, speaking as though quoting someone, though I knew not whom. She saw me watching her, and she straightened up, turning on her heel and striding away, once again stern in demeanor.

In the meantime, Arthur was discussing the situation with Avani. I walked over to her and put my arm around her waist as he was saying, "Well, whether they are attacking the city or not, they nevertheless have invaded our kingdom—the capitol must be warned about this. That must be the first priority; while I would defend Selphia even with my life, nevertheless, I would sooner see the city fall and the kingdom saved than to lose everything. So I must report this development to the King."

"But, Arthur—if they should attack! Can't you just… drop me off?" she exclaimed, obviously frustrated by the prince's caution.

"What, on my way to the capitol? No, Avani, I cannot. I will not send you there without the ability to provide you with adequate backup, should you need it."

She opened her mouth to protest again, but he raised his hand to silence her. "No, there's no use in further discussion. I've heard your arguments, and my mind is made up. I suggest you take the time to make whatever preparations you deem necessary while I am reporting to the capitol. I should only be a day or two—three at the most. When I return, you may launch your attack. But not until then. Is that clear?"

"Yes, _Your Highness_," she hissed through clenched teeth, then with a curt bow, she turned on her heel and stalked back towards the castle. I was surprised that Arthur was so… unperturbed by her insolence.

My face must have betrayed my thoughts, because he smiled when he turned and looked at me, saying, "You're wondering why I don't call her out for her insubordination. Well, Leon, partly it's because I'm not as… _imperious_ as most of my family are, and partly because she really _is_ a fine warrior—though she'd make a terrible soldier. And, too—though I don't know why I'm inclined to tell you this—it's partly because I'm deeply attracted to her, despite knowing that she sees me as a prince, not simply as a man."

He turned to look towards the castle, a look of regret on his face. "It's funny, isn't it? Most women would be beside themselves to have a prince fall in love with them. But… not _her_."

I gave him a sympathetic smile. "But then, Avani _isn't_ most women."

He sighed and smiled ruefully at me. "No. And, paradoxically, that is what I love most about her." He shrugged, then turned and walked back to his offices, leaving me staring thoughtfully after him.

I caught up to Avani in her fields. She had very recently expanded her property, and she was clearing her new land with a fury—pulverizing rocks and hacking at stumps. I knew the pattern well by now, of course; whenever she was angry or perturbed in spirit, she took out her emotions on inanimate objects. Usually she would hammer away at her forge, but apparently she decided this time to put her venting to some practical use, rather than simply obliterating sword blanks.

I stood leaning against a tree, watching her as she worked out her frustration. Finally, she had cleared the field of every stone or scrap of timber. She flung the last of the dressed stone into her storage bin, then turned back to the bare patch of earth and hurled down her mallet, the force of her throw driving the head deep into the ground. She stood glaring at it, her chest heaving as she panted for breath, wiping sweat from her brow with her grimy arm.

"Feel any better?" I called to her, then quickly sidestepped as she whirled and flung her axe at me, caught off guard and startled. I chuckled as the head of the axe embedded in the tree where I'd been standing a moment before. "As always, My Lady, your reflexes are impeccable. Though your temper perhaps could use a little… well, tempering." I grinned as I strolled over to her.

"Ahh, Leon! You gave me quite a scare there," she said, looking past me at the quivering axe handle.

"The feeling is mutual, I assure you," I replied drily, stroking her hair. "Come on, let's get cleaned up and get some dinner. My treat?"

"Cleaning up, definitely. But I don't want to go to Porcoline's. I'm so mad at Arthur right now, I can hardly see straight—and I sure don't want to risk running into him at dinner."

"Hmmm, yes, I see your point. Well, then. How about we go have a bath and a bite to eat at the inn, then return home for some… additional refreshments?" I said, running my hand down her back. "After all, that, too, is an excellent way to… release excess energy?" I leaned down and kissed her, savoring the saltiness of her mouth and neck. She stiffened in surprise at first, then relaxed as she began to respond to my caresses. I knew that by the end of the evening, she would be in a much better mood and no longer angry with or antagonistic towards the prince. And best of all, he wouldn't even need to thank me—I knew I'd be receiving more than adequate compensation.

The following morning, we learned that not only had Arthur left just a couple of hours after his interview with Avani, but also that he'd taken Doug with him to the capitol, to provide the King with as much information as he could regarding the Sechs' plans. However, Doug suddenly reappeared at the city gates mid-morning, looking worn and disheveled. It seemed that the airship had been attacked en route, and they had barely made it to the capitol in one piece. Arthur himself had been injured, though not seriously, and Doug had likewise sustained some minor injuries as well as damaging some of the still-healing wounds from his encounter with Ethelberd. Doug had been sent back to Selphia via magic spells, in order to warn Forte to be extra vigilant, and also to let Avani know that the airship would be delayed an additional few days for repairs.

She chafed at the additional delay, but finally gave in, knowing that there was nothing she could do about it. All in all, our delay lasted a week. And during that week, there were three notable sequences of events.

First, I woke one morning a little later than usual, having been… rather active throughout the night. Avani was already gone by then, so I went to grab some breakfast before settling down to work. In the kitchen, I found a covered platter of grilled squid, still warm, a note, and one of her white gauntlets on the counter. I picked up the glove and looked at it curiously, then sat down to eat the squid and read the note. The note read:

Dear Leo,

Things have been rather quiet the past few days, so I thought we might play a little game today. You will have already seen one of my gloves, that I left with this note. I'm leaving you a hint for a location, where you will find another note and another article of my clothing. Keep following the clues, and eventually you will find me—without all the clothing that I've left with each note. I'll be waiting for you!

If to its lair your way you make,  
>These ancient bones will surely wake.<p>

Nakedly,  
>Avani<p>

That piqued my interest, to put it mildly. With a broad grin, I picked up the note and strolled out the door. "Easy," I muttered to myself as I reread the clue. I hopped onto the airship and took off for the revival cave—home of the ancient bone dragon.

As I entered the cave, I grinned—I'd been right. There on a large rock just inside the entrance was another note, and another white glove rested on top. I picked up the note and tucked the glove in my rucksack. This time I read:

If a pole and axe you bring,  
>You may be able to fish this spring.<p>

I thought for a moment, drumming my fingertips on my cheek. After a few minutes of thought, I decided that she must mean either Silver Lake or the winter spring nearby. As I could take the airship to the former, I tried there first. However, a search of the lake shore revealed nothing, so I headed across the snowy terrain to the spring.

When I reached the spring, I saw it was indeed the correct location. Nailed to a tree next to the icy spring, I saw another note, and one of her sandals was on the ground below. I tucked the sandal into my sack, then pulled the note down to read it.

If from spring to Spring you flew,  
>In a cave, you'd find a clue.<p>

I sat down on a rock by the spring and thought. "Spring to spring… whatever does she mean by that?" I wondered out loud. After several minutes it dawned up me that she had capitalized the second instance of spring. I snapped my fingers as I jumped up. "Sercerezo Hill!" I exclaimed. There were two caves there, I thought as I took off at a run. Chuckling to myself, I thought that she had indeed devised an amusing way to spend the day.

I took the airship to Idra cave first, the larger of the two cave systems in the region. Stepping inside the mouth of the cave, I grinned as I spotted the second sandal and another note:

Cross a bridge where water's falling.  
>Don't take too long—Avani's calling!<p>

I smirked to myself, thinking that this was almost—not _quite_, but almost—as good as foreplay. I had a pretty good idea where the next clue must be. There were only two places I could think of where water might be falling, assuming it wasn't a terrible pun on the fall season: the water shrine ruins, or the waterfall in the Yokmir forest. And I couldn't think of anything you might properly call a bridge in the ruins.

I had to fight a few lesser monsters to get to the waterfall, but sure enough, there was a little bundle resting on the center of the bridge spanning the pool of water. I picked it up and found a blouse and another note.

Thinking of you, I'm getting so hot;  
>Go deeper and deeper if you want a shot.<p>

I felt a surge of heat course through me reading that, thinking of her slowly stripping away her clothing at each place, neatly folding it to leave with each note…. I shook my head to clear it. Yes, this was indeed an excellent diversion. And perhaps I was hasty when I thought it was not quite as good as foreplay….

There could be only one place that she meant by this note, so I eagerly made my way to the Delirium lava ruins. I looked inside the cave opening, but I found nothing. Frowning, I reread the note. "Deeper and deeper…" I mused aloud. On a whim, I tried one of the warp points, taking me to the stairs at the start of the lower level of chambers. Still nothing, so I returned to the beginning and tried the second warp point. That took me to the deepest chamber but one, the chamber just outside the rafflesia's lair. And sure enough, there on the floor in the center of the cavern was another small bundle. I picked it up, and her skirt unfolded in my hands, still fragrant with her delightful scents. I felt my skin tingle as I picked up the note and read it.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.  
>You're almost to the source of your lust.<p>

I thought that had to be the haunted manor house outside of town, and I figured that in her current state of undress, she wouldn't be leaving any notes at the back door just above Dragon Lake, on the edge of the village. So I went to the front door of the mansion, and there on the front steps I found a delicate, lacy, turquoise blue bra with a note on top. I picked it up and looked at it—I couldn't recall seeing it before, but I grinned as I thought that I couldn't wait to see it on her. Then I tucked it with her other clothing in my rucksack and read the note.

Come and search with all your might  
>Somewhere at the edge of light.<p>

That one puzzled me, and the thought that I was so near the end was more than a little distracting as I tried to focus on what she might mean by that hint. I wondered if she might mean the lights of the town, so I returned to the village and searched all around the perimeter—but to no avail. A tower might be said to be on the edge of light, at least as far as sunrise and sunset went. But the only towers anywhere in the area were the observation tower and the ancient tower of Leon Karnak. I ruled them both out—the observation tower was in town, and I was fairly certain she wouldn't be running through the streets stark naked. And Leon Karnak was populated by fairly tough monsters—and so far the places she'd sent me had all been either isolated and unpopulated by monsters, or else had only very low-level monsters.

Then suddenly I recalled a place somewhere between the haunted mansion and Leon Karnak where there was no light—all light there was absorbed by a peculiar mineral known as shade stone. I made my way there from the manor house, again fighting a few lesser monsters to reach my goal. It was too dark there to see much of anything, even with my enhanced vision. But after a moment, my sensitive nose detected her scent—_our_ scent, the lingering fragrance of our night's lovemaking. I followed the scent to its source: a scrap of silky, lace trimmed fabric on which rested a slip of paper. I carried them out to the light and examined them. The fabric was a thong that matched the bra I'd retrieved a short while earlier and that was richly and enticingly scented.

Quivering in anticipation—this should be the final note, giving me the clue I needed to find my lover—I read the words on the slip of paper.

Sunny sky and soft, warm grass;  
>Here you'll find a piece of —.<p>

Although this could describe nearly any place in the Selphia plains, I had an inkling that she was referring to Keeno Lake, where we had whiled away a _very_ enjoyable day some weeks ago. Making haste, I arrived at the lake and eagerly looked around.

Stretched out on the grass, luxuriating in the warm summer sun, was the object of my search. Lying on her back, one knee bent and her arm thrown over her eyes to block the bright sunlight, her long, pale green hair cascading across the grass around her, she made no acknowledgment of my arrival other than a slowly broadening smile.

Saying nothing myself, I crouched down next to her and leaned over, covering her mouth with mine as I hungrily kissed her. She reached up her arms around my neck, twining her delicate fingers through my hair and running her nails down my spine, making me shiver feverishly. I ran my hands down her sides and across her belly, slowly working my way to her breast. After the hours of anticipation, I couldn't get enough of her touch, of her taste, of her scent. She was like a feast, and I was starving for her.

Pushing me gently off her, she rose and stood naked before me. She reached down and gently stroked along my jaw line, then dropped her hand to her side as her lips curved into a luscious smile. Leaning slightly forward, she said in a low, husky voice, "There's just one more thing…."

"Yes, My Lady?" I said, looking up at her, radiant in the sunlight, dizzy with the intensity of my desire for her.

Her smile broadened into a wide grin and her eyes crinkled with mischief, and she shouted "Escape!"—vanishing from sight.

I nearly toppled backwards from the shock. Stunned and dazed by this unexpected turn of events, I sat staring at the empty place where she'd been just a moment before, mouth hanging open. Collecting myself and wondering if this was her way of prolonging the game, I stood and likewise cast escape, returning to her suite in the castle. However, there was no sign of her. But as I scanned the room, I spotted something on the bed. Hurrying over, I saw that it was a book. It lay open, and my name was scrawled in the margin next to some of the text. I looked more closely and read the line:

"Revenge is a dish best served cold."

Lying underneath the volume of proverbs was a rather familiar-looking pair of silky pink panties.

It took me several minutes, my mind clouded by frustrated lust as it was, to take in that, at last, Avani had taken her promised revenge for that prank I'd pulled at Idra Cave. I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the panties and the book. Then I began to laugh. I laughed until I fell back on the bed, helpless and gasping for air. I had to admit, she'd gotten me but good. And she'd done it so well, I didn't even mind the frustration—well, not _very_ much anyway. But I grinned wolfishly as I thought to myself that I'd be sure to get my release that night—and I intended that I would take my time with her and not give in to her demands any too soon.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	33. Chapter 33

**AN:** Sano and Uno fascinate me. They are mentioned only ever so briefly (outside of Leon Karnak, that is). I've drawn heavily on the Japanese kitsune, but they aren't completely based on them, either. Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy the story, and I'd love to hear from you!

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><p>Avani's revenge was the first of the three notable events that week; the second was a bit more… curious. A day or so after our little game, I had gone to check on my foxes and grab some more of my reference materials. Avani had a surprisingly good library of her own, but it was far from complete, at least for my needs.<p>

When I reached my room, the foxes were, as usual, sleeping on my bed. I first went to gather my books and scrolls, placing them carefully in my rucksack. By the time I'd finished, Sano was awake and Uno was getting there. They gazed up at me, and their expressions were so wistful that I felt a pang of guilt. They weren't like normal pets by any means. They were spirits, for one, not monsters. As such, they didn't require food or drink, though they were capable of consuming either and even enjoyed some flavors—fried tofu was a particular favorite.

Besides not needing food, they also didn't need the other care that monsters generally required, such as grooming. They could manipulate their appearance at will, though there were limitations: they were incapable of entirely shedding their foxy appearance, and they couldn't make themselves very much larger or smaller than they were in their natural state—slightly larger than a mundane fox. Sano once tried changing himself into human, and the results were rather amusing. He retained his ears and tails, and he was quite small—he looked for all the world like my son.

On the other hand, they were far more intelligent and intuitive than monsters typically were, even the higher level monsters. Therefore, they were easily bored, and craved companionship. And I'd been rather neglecting them lately, between current events and my preoccupation with my delightful lover.

Knowing that the pair liked and admired Avani and that she reciprocated their affection, I decided to bring them with me to the castle, at least for a trial period. They knew that she and I were in a relationship—they always referred to it simply as mating—so I cautioned them that when they sensed that such activities were about to take place, they should make themselves scarce until we were finished. They seemed puzzled by my request, and Uno asked, "Why is our absence necessary for you to mate with your companion? We do not understand this."

"Because, unlike monster and animal mating, human relations are normally conducted in privacy. Invading that privacy is a gross violation of human propriety. If you were to do so—if you tried to sneak in and listen or watch—you would at best cause her distress, and at worst provoke her to wrath. I know you both have already fought with her—and she's grown much stronger and more skillful since then. Besides, I know you two goofballs like her and wouldn't want to upset her."

They considered that for a few minutes, then Sano replied, "We still do not understand the need for privacy, but we will respect your wishes in this regard out of consideration for you and your human mate." Relieved that they had promised to obey—they were a mischievous pair, and far too curious for my own good—I set out for the castle with the two of them trotting at my side.

Avani not only approved of my decision, but seemed delighted. I still found it inexplicable that she could see them, converse with them, and even touch them, when no one but me should have been able to do so. I had no explanation for it, but as it didn't seem to worry the foxes, I shrugged it off for the time being.

After our evening meal, we sat on the sofa before the fire. Avani snuggled up against me, leaning her head on my shoulder as I put my arm around her. I leaned over to kiss her, but just then, Sano and Uno appeared before us.

"We sense increased levels of the chemicals humans refer to as 'pheromones'. Therefore, we are departing for a time, in accordance with your wishes. We will return when we sense that the mating ritual has been completed." And with that they vanished, just as I was about to throw a cushion at them while Avani burst out laughing.

A few minutes later, still chuckling, Avani stood up and held out her hand to me. Smiling at me, she pulled me up and put her arms around my neck, pulling me down to her for a long, slow kiss. She kissed along my jaw line and down my neck, then whispered, "You know, I'd really hate to waste their efforts on our behalf…."

I looked down at her and grinned, then lifted her up in my arms and carried her to the bed. "That would indeed be a shame, My Lady."

Later that night as we lay in bed, Avani curled up next to me with her head on my chest and my arm around her shoulders as she slept, the foxes materialized. I was just drifting off when they appeared at the foot of the bed, their eyes glowing golden in the darkness. I raised a finger to my lips to signal them to be quiet, and they stealthily crept up and settled against Avani's back for warmth. They curled up with their noses on their paws and sighed in unison as they relaxed. Soon we were all asleep.

I don't know how much time had passed, but at some point later, I woke to the sound of muffled sobbing. Lighting the lamp next to the bed, I turned and looked to see what was the matter. Avani had rolled over onto her other side, her back to me now, and she was curled around the foxes as they slept, her arm thrown across Sano's back and her forehead resting against his. Tears trickled from the corners of her tightly-shut eyes, and she shivered in her sleep.

"My Lady?" I called softly, placing a hand on her shoulder and giving her a gentle shake. She mumbled something indiscernible, but she didn't wake. Her sounds became increasingly distressed, and she curled up into a tighter ball, waking the foxes. "My Lady, are you alright?" I shook her shoulder more firmly.

She convulsed, as though leaping or running, and flung out an arm. Screaming, her eyes flew open, her pupils dilated in shock and terror. She sat up, blinked a few times, then drew her legs up and hugged her knees, sobbing the word "sundara" repeatedly.

Thoroughly alarmed, I put my arms around her and held her tightly. "Avani, My Lady—shhh, it's okay, you're safe here with me," I murmured soothingly. Sano put his forepaws on her leg and licked her face, whining with concern.

Uno looked over at me, his golden eyes still glowing slightly in the amber lamplight. "Something has disturbed your mate," he commented.

"Thank you, I had noticed that," I replied rather drily.

"I mean that she has dreamed a memory, and this memory distresses her greatly. I do not know what this memory is, I can only sense the distress it causes her." He sat up and put a paw on her knee. "Lady Avani," he addressed her, startling me—they never addressed her by name, indeed never addressed anyone by name other than myself and the Native Dragons. "Lady Avani, do not be distressed by your memory of the past. The past is an immutable road through the present that vanishes into the malleable future. You need not fear it, as you may yet shape your future to whatever form you desire—you need only have the determination to do so."

She looked up at the two foxes, then to my further surprise, she flung her arms around the both of them and hugged them tightly to her, sobbing into Uno's fur. Sano looked over at me, saying, "It is fortunate that we are spirits and as such do not breathe. A mortal beast would not fare as well."

I put my arm around her again and drew closer to her. "My Lady, do you want to tell me about it? What has you so upset?"

She wept for a moment longer, then she released the foxes and leaned against me, putting her arms around my neck. "Sundara…" she said again. "He's… he's dead, and I couldn't save him. I tried, Leo, I tried so hard to save him. But I couldn't… I couldn't…." And she began to cry again. "He killed Sundara, and I couldn't stop him."

"Who killed him? Who are you talking about?" I asked her.

"I… I don't know. Whoever it was, I was—I _am_—so terrified of him that I can't even picture him, let alone remember his name. But I saw it all—I saw him push him. And I tried to reach him, to pull him up, but he… I couldn't hold onto him, and he fell. He's dead, and although I can't remember why, somehow I know it's my fault that he's dead."

"Shhh, don't cry. I'm sure whatever happened, you did your best. Don't blame yourself." I sat and held her, stroking her hair and gently rocking her. She hesitated a minute, then nodded, though she still wept.

"Feeling a little better?" She nodded again, her face still buried against my shoulder. "So who is this Sundara that you say was killed?"

She hunched her shoulders up again, tightening her hold around my neck. "My lover," she whispered.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	34. Chapter 34

**AN:** A smidgen of swearing, a little bit of lemon _zest_ (eg _talking_ _about_ sexy fun times). Still pretty T-rated though, imho. The foxes again are more prominently featured in this chapter, but then they'll probably lie low for a while until they're needed again, like all good plot devices.

**AN2:** Starting immediately, I'm going to be posting on a different schedule. **I'll be posting new chapters for this fanfiction on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays**, and for my HM:ToTT fanfiction on T&Th. There's a note about it on my profile page, too. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy! I always love to hear from readers, too!

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><p>"Your… your what?" I exclaimed. Although I had expected that she'd had lovers in her forgotten past, I still found it somewhat disconcerting when confronted with it.<p>

"My lover," she repeated. "I don't know how I could have forgotten him so completely. I feel sick about it—that I could have just moved on so easily."

"So… he meant a lot to you, I take it." I felt the early pangs of jealousy stirring in my chest.

"Yes… yes, he did. I… I wish I could remember more. I know that we weren't supposed to be together, but I don't know why. I know he was killed, but I don't know why or by whom. I don't remember meeting him… but at least now I can remember his touch and his kisses… and him."

I held very still, almost afraid to move—afraid of what her next words might be. Uno looked up at me, then crept over and rested his chin on my knee. In my head, I heard him say, "Be at ease. Avani loves you, Leon."

I smiled gratefully at the fox, then stroking her hair, I said in a low voice, "Why don't you tell me about him? Talking will help the memories take root, so you're less likely to forget again. And it sounds as though these memories are important to you."

She looked quickly up at me, surprised by my suggestion, then leaned her head against me for a moment. She slid over my thigh and sat between my legs, and pulled my arms around her. I leaned my cheek against her hair as I held her tightly, and I waited.

"Like I said, I don't remember how it is that we met. I only have little fragments of memory—a few events. I can remember the first time he said he loved me… the first time we kissed… the first time we made love. But… not how we met." She paused and sighed.

"Perhaps you don't remember because you'd known each other since you were very young?" I suggested.

"Maybe. I don't really know." She sighed regretfully before continuing. "He was a beautiful man, tall and straight and strong, with long, deep green hair like the cedar forests and eyes like the night sky—dark and full of stars. I don't recall his vocation, but I do remember he played a sort of a harp-like instrument, we called it a sur-mandal. His was exceptionally beautiful, I seem to remember, painted like a… like a peacock's feather," she said glancing at my feather fan lying on the bedside table. "He played it very well, though like I said, I don't remember if he was a musician by profession or not. Though I have a vague impression that he wasn't—just a very skilled amateur. And he had a beautiful voice, low and gentle. He himself was a very gentle, kind man. If he hadn't been… maybe he wouldn't have died." Her voice sounded a little strained, as if choked with tears.

After a moment, she went on. "He… I don't remember much about how he died. I think I lived in the mountains somewhere. Not like the ones around here, though—my impression is of warmth and humidity, and vividly green, lush growth. Anyway, I think we'd been walking in the woods in the mountains, and someone found us. We weren't supposed to see each other, I believe, and the person that found us was… was infuriated. They fought, but Sundara wasn't a fighter, and the other man… he pushed him, near the edge of a precipice. He slipped and fell…. I tried to reach him—I ran and threw myself down to grab him…. I caught his hand, but I didn't have a good enough hold on him, and I wasn't strong enough. The man that pushed him refused to help, though I begged him. And then… and then he slipped from my hand…." She put her head down and began to sob again.

I sat and held her tightly in my arms, letting her cry herself out. After a time, her sobbing slowed and gradually subsided. She wiped at her eyes with her wrist and leaned back against me. With a sigh, she said, "I remember now, too, that I tried to follow—tried to leap after him. But that man grabbed me and hauled me back, and he wouldn't let me go. I _think_ he threatened me… but I can't remember much that has to do with him. Whenever I think of him, I'm filled with such terror, I freeze. I don't know who he was or what kind of hold he had on me, but he terrifies me even now—even though I don't know where he is or if he's alive or dead."

We sat in silence for a little while, each with our own thoughts. Then Avani stirred and said, "I wonder why all this came back? And why only this much? There's still so much I don't remember."

Sano perked up and looked at her, then he sat up and said, "We suspect that the return of your memories is due to our presence, Lady Avani."

She looked startled, and said, "What? How?"

"We are not certain how, but we belong to the spirit world. We believe that somehow we are acting as a catalyst for the return of your memories. There is a seal…"

"A seal?" I said sharply, scowling.

"Yes, a seal, on a part of your mind, presumably your memory. And we think that when you dream while in contact with us, somehow you connect with us in the spirit realm, and as a result of that connection, your memories are able to… leak out. The other time you had dreams of your past was also while we slept in your bed with you, was it not?"

She frowned in thought. "Yes, it was—after I was caught in that explosion. I thought it was from my injury, but…."

"How would that even work?" I asked.

"As we said, we don't understand the mechanism. This is all conjecture, of course, and we may be mistaken. But both times we felt her presence as she dreamt."

"So you think that if she dreamed while in contact with you, she might eventually regain all of her memories?"

"That is a possibility, yes. We do not know the nature of this seal that is upon her; we have not seen its like before."

I looked at her. "Well, My Lady. Here is a chance to regain at least some of your memory. Do you wish to try it?"

She shivered and leaned into me. "I-I'll have to think about it. I know there's _something_ in there that scares the daylights out of me, and I don't know when… or even if… I'll be ready to confront it."

The foxes both walked across the bed and sat side by side before her. "Lady Avani, we are willing to assist you if you so desire," Uno began.

"But we cannot predict the success or failure of such an experiment," Sano added.

"Therefore, until such time as you are ready…"

"We will withdraw from your presence while you sleep…"

"In order to prevent undesirable consequences."

Then in unison, the two said, "We will respect and honor your wishes, as we respect and honor you, our Lady Avani." Then they bowed their heads to her and vanished.

"What in the…" Avani said, looking up at me in bewilderment. "Why… why do I feel as though I just received obeisance from a pair of princes?"

I gave her a half smile. "Perhaps," I said thoughtfully, "because you did."

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><p>The final event of that week that bears mentioning began very shortly after Avani's dream. I'd decided to take a day to go hunt down some reagents that I needed and to take my foxes out for some exercise. I especially needed some Chimera claws, and the only place to get them was in the ruined water shrine. I'd just cleared out a couple of rooms when I decided to stop for lunch. As I was sitting among the fallen, crumbled pillars, eating a sandwich, I heard voices. Pricking my ears, I discerned Avani's voice approaching. I stood to hail them as they approached, but Uno suddenly appeared before me. "Leon, you may wish to withdraw."<p>

Startled, I looked at him. "Oh? Why is that?"

"Do you recall telling us that it is considered a gross violation of human propriety to intrude on a human mating ritual?"

"Well, yes, but…." I drew my brows together. They _couldn't_ mean….

"We do not know which portions of the ritual are taboo and which are not, of course. But I can tell you that approaching us now is the Lady and a man who clearly wishes to mate with her."

"What? You mean, they're…"

"So far, we only sense that desire from the male, not from the female. But we assume it is only a matter of time before she becomes receptive to his advances, assuming that he performs whatever pre-courtship rituals must be observed correctly."

I felt an oddly overwhelming relief, and smiled weakly down at the fox. "I see. Well, of course, I'm sure there are plenty of men out there who, err, wish to mate with her. That doesn't mean that she'll respond, though. And it's only acts of intimacy that should be given privacy, not anytime when the desire exists." I looked around, seeing no way to slip away discreetly. "Still, I'm not sure I want to intrude, and I certainly don't want to eavesdrop. But I don't see any way out of here that won't draw their attention. I'll have to just take cover and hope they're just passing through."

The foxes vanished, and I ducked down behind some pillars in the corner of the room. A moment later, I could hear them clearly enough to make out their words as they drew nearer and nearer. I caught the scent of horse and leather in addition to Avani's various scents, and I knew who her companion was.

"I told you, didn't I? We just aren't compatible! You're just too stubborn to see it!" I heard Avani assert.

"Me? _You're_ the stubborn one! You know you can't trust those fortune tellers—they're just a bunch of crooks!"

"You're only saying that because he said what everyone else already knows—that we aren't suited for each other! If he'd said we were a perfect match, I bet you'd be singing a different tune!"

Dylas snorted. "As if! Who cares what anyone else says, anyway?" Their footsteps stopped—right in the middle of the room where I crouched, hidden from sight, half hoping they'd leave, and half hoping they wouldn't.

"Listen, Avani. I-I don't know how to say things all nice and pretty. I'm sorry, I'm just not good at things like that. But… I… I…. Augh! Dammit, I _love_ you, Avani! There, I said it—I love you, and I want you back. I can't tell you how much I miss you. The nights are the worst. I dream about you all night—about holding you in my arms, about the way you'd kiss me. I can almost feel your hands on me… how soft your skin is… the way you smell when you get all hot and excited. Those little sounds you'd make when you were coming that would drive me right over the edge. The way you'd dig your nails into my back and call out my name. It… it gets so I can hardly stand it—but at the same time, I want the dreams to go on and on, even when they're torture, because they're all I have left of you. I don't even care anymore that you… you're sleeping with Leon now. I just… I just want you, even if it means sharing you."

By now I knew my foxes were correct—Dylas's pheromones were so potent that I felt slightly ill from them. I half expected them to take a tangible form—a creature born of his urgent need for his former lover. I knew that it was really just a matter of time before she took him back. I didn't like the idea at all, but… since I refused to commit to her, to claim her as mine and mine alone, I really had no right to interfere in her affairs. I put my head in my hands and sat as still as I could, wishing that they would just leave and go about their business. The thought that they might actually do so right there, while I sat hidden within sight and sound and scent, filled me with a sudden horror, but I convinced myself that she wouldn't do anything like that without giving me fair warning. She was scrupulously honest and would never deign to deceive another.

I realized that it had been some time since either had last spoken, so I ventured a look, moving as silently as possible. However, they were still there—Dylas had Avani in his arms and was kissing her with all the pent-up frustration of the past several weeks. I ducked back down and waited; a moment later I heard a loud smack of leather on skin and smiled slightly to myself. Dylas must have tried something that she didn't like. Then light footsteps running away, a shout from Dylas, and heavier, slower footsteps giving chase. And I was alone once again.

I'd lost any interest in my original errand, so I returned to Avani's rooms. Looking around, I was keenly, painfully aware that she would soon ask me to return to my old room at the inn. I felt my chest constrict, and my heart felt heavy. I turned and walked out the back door and over to the inn. I paid Lin for a bath and some cold sake and went on in. She brought the sake in to me once I was in the bath, so I sat and soaked in the hot water, sipping cold sake and thinking back over the past half year since I'd met Avani as I proceeded to get pleasantly drunk.

Apparently Xiao became concerned about my condition, and she went to get Avani at some point after I was clearly intoxicated. However, I refused to get out of the bath, loudly insisting I wanted still more sake. So Lin temporarily closed the bathhouse, and Avani came in to get me. She patiently helped me dry off and dress, then walked me back home. She cooked some grilled mackerel for me, despite my clumsy and poorly-timed advances. Somehow she got me fed, then sat me down and just looked at me, until I started to feel very uncomfortable.

After several minutes of just staring into my eyes, she finally said, "What's up, Leo? This isn't like you at all. Is there something on your mind?"

I just looked at her for a minute, then I put my arms around her and pulled her closer to me and rested my cheek against her hair. I sighed, and said, "I… I can't hold onto you… but… I also don't want to let you go."

"Go? Go where? I don't understand."

I pulled back and looked into her eyes. "I was there this afternoon."

Realizing what I meant, she blushed and looked away. "I… I see. I didn't think you were the sort to eavesdrop, Leo."

"Wasn't on purpose. I was there minding my own business, just eating my lunch when you showed up. The foxes… they warned me, said Dylas wanted to… to "mate" with you. There wasn't anywhere to get away, so I ducked out of sight, hoping you were just passing through. But you weren't—you stayed. And I was stuck there, listening to him begging…."

"Oh, Leo…."

"No, it's.. it's okay. I knew it would happen sooner or later." I stood up, slightly wobbly still. "So how soon do you want me to leave? And are you… are we…?" I couldn't bring myself to finish my sentence.

She stood up and put her arms around me, resting her cheek against my chest. "For now, nothing's _really_ changing, Leo, that is, unless _you_ want it to. It's true that Dylas wants me back—as you heard. And it's true that I plan to take him back. We'll… we'll figure out some arrangement. But I don't want you to leave. When Dylas and I become lovers again, I don't intend to kick you out, although there may be times that I ask you for… well, for some privacy. But as far as I'm concerned, this is your home, too, as long as you care to stay with me."

"But… but why would you want to stay with _me_, knowing I can't commit to you? I'm pretty sure no matter what he thought about marriage and commitment before, Dylas would be thrilled to marry you and settle down with you _now_. So… why?"

She lightly cuffed me across the top of my head as she gave me an exasperated look. "Because I happen to love you, you dolt!" Then she pulled me down to her and demonstrated just exactly how she felt about me in terms that any man could understand—whether drunk or sober.

The next day, I was heading back towards Avani's rooms after spending several hours searching for those reagents that I'd started to look for previously. I disembarked from the airship and headed down the stairs to Avani's back door, thinking over what I'd acquired and what I still needed to obtain and wondering if Arthur might have anything of use. As I approached the back door, I stopped and listened, my ears swiveling. From inside, I heard distinct—very distinct, and very familiar—noises, despite the heavy door and thick walls. I blanched slightly, as I realized that Dylas was indeed back in Avani's favor—vigorously so, from the sound of it. I waited until the noises ceased, then steeled myself to behave nonchalantly as I opened the door and walked in.

Sure enough, there in Avani's bed was Dylas, lying on his back, glistening with sweat and a perma-grin on his satisfied face as he gasped for air. Sprawled across him, equally drenched and spent, was Avani, her pale green hair damp and disheveled as she lay with her cheek on his chest, trying to catch her breath. Dylas's arms were loosely wrapped around her as they lay naked and exposed. My nose twitched at the fresh, pungent scent of their sex—_that_ was going to take some getting used to.

Such was their exhaustion, that when they heard me enter the room, neither managed to do more than just lie there looking at me, moving only to turn their heads towards me. I stood at the edge of the bed and stroked her damp hair, then looked down at Dylas. With a smile, I said, "Well, it looks like you're back in the saddle again!"

Then I hurried upstairs to the study as Dylas shouted after me, "I am _not_ a fucking horse, dammit!"

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	35. Chapter 35

**AN:** Thanks for reading! I love to hear from readers, so feel free to leave a review or send me a PM! Next chapter will be posted on Wednesday! :)

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><p>At the end of the week, Arthur returned on the newly-repaired airship, for the most part recovered from his injuries. He had made his report to his father, the King, and received assurances that reinforcements would be sent out posthaste. Furthermore, an honor guard was to be assembled to protect the sole rune sphere as well as the remaining rune spheres upon their recovery. The king was deeply disturbed by these incursions by the Sechs Empire—even going so far as to attack his own son—and I heard a rumor that he was most grim in aspect afterwards as he gave the orders for soldiers to be chosen for these duties.<p>

After his return, he immediately called a meeting with both Avani and Forte, to fill them in on the situation and to receive their reports. Dylas and I, as Avani's companions, were also present at the meeting. During his absence, the floating fortress had neither come any nearer the town, nor attacked. However, Dylas swore that sometimes he saw small objects flying to or from the fortress—larger than birds, he said, but too small to be _manned_ aircraft. Arthur looked thoughtful at that report, and I wondered if he, like I, suspected that they were spies.

He reassured Forte that she would have full authority—by command of the King—over the reinforcements soon to arrive in Selphia, regardless of rank. Then he turned to Avani, and without his customary smile, he gave her a long, steady look. She lifted her head slightly and sat a little straighter as she met her Prince's gaze, proud and staunch in her devotion to her adopted land, yet unwilling to capitulate to anyone—man or beast, male or female, royal or common. They stared at each other for a full five minutes, without blinking or wavering, then his gaze suddenly softened and he smiled. Avani blinked in surprise, then sat back and waited for him to speak.

"Have you spent your time wisely in my absence, preparing yourself for the battle that is yet to come? Are you ready to depart in search of your quarry?"

"I am, Your Highness" she replied simply and certainly—and without sarcasm, this time.

"Then go and equip yourselves. The airship departs in one hour."

She jumped up and quickly knelt before him on one knee, bowing over his hand. "Thank you, Arthur. I will not fail you, nor Venti."

Gently he lifted her up, then to everyone's surprise, he knelt down before her and gently kissed her hand ere he rose. He smiled down at her, a tender look in his eyes, then placing his hands on her shoulders, he said softly, "I know you will not. I'm counting on it." Then he turned away from her, signaling our dismissal.

We hastened back to the castle to fetch our weapons and armor, as well as a few supplies. After we donned our armor, we stuffed the supplies in our rucksacks, secured our weapons, and hurried to the airship, where Arthur awaited us. As soon as we had boarded the ship, he signaled to the dockhands to release the guy-wires, and we were off to the Emperor's aerial fortress, soaring on the winds to meet our doom or his.

The fortress had appeared massive when we viewed it from the observation tower, but as we approached it, we realized that our distant view had not afforded us an accurate sense of its true scale. It appeared to be a cluster of four islands surrounded a central island, but as we drew nearer, I could see that three of the four outer islands were actually formed of a series of large, interconnected platforms. The fourth island was farther removed from the central island, and elevated well above the others. From its grand and imposing architecture, as well as its removal from the rest of the island, I surmised that this was where Ethelberd awaited us.

Staring at the fortress as we approached it, Arthur exclaimed in wonder, "It's… it's huge. Much larger than I had imagined. How can they keep something so massive stable, floating in the air like that? It's awe-inspiring… and more than a little terrifying, I must confess."

Avani nodded her head, then suddenly she drew her swords, shouting, "Look out!" A small green dragon dropped from the sky, landing heavily on the deck. With a shriek, it reared up, spreading its wings in challenge. Dylas crouched, prepared to leap, and I raised my spear, twirling it in my hand to balance my grip.

"Arthur, just keep on piloting the ship—we'll take care of any distractions!" she shouted up to him as she charged, slashing all around it. Within moments, the membranes of its wings were torn to useless shreds and it threw its huge head back, keening in pain.

"I'll handle the ship, but be sure you don't get knocked off! It's a long ways down!" Arthur called.

Avani threw up one hand in acknowledgement, shouting "So I remember!", as she spun around to face our opponent. I dove in, my spear leveled at its side, just as Dylas leaped in the air, coming down with a mighty kick onto the monster's serpentine neck, crushing it beneath his heavy boots as I impaled it.

"Look out! Reinforcements!" Arthur shouted as the dragon vanished in a pillar of light, and just then another young dragon and two floating robotic soldiers dropped down. I whirled and swiped at the second dragon with my spear just as it lunged forward with a sweep of its wing claws, hissing in rage. My spear blade connected with its claw, and I drove into it as it bore down to crush me under its weight, forcing it to stagger back.

Dylas dropped below its flailing wings and rolled beneath one of the hover soldiers, delivering a powerful wheel kick from below as he did so. The soldier, its stabilizers damaged, spun off drunkenly before crashing into the mast. Avani likewise ducked beneath a spray of projectiles shot by the second soldier, hastily swapping her dual swards for her massive longsword as the bullets shot over her head, then she sprang up and lunged at it, her sword held high before she crashed it down on top of the soldier, cleaving it in two with one mighty blow.

As the small dragon recovered and prepared to lunge forward again, I cast an earth wheel, shooting out a spiral of rocky spikes up all around it. Impaled on no fewer than three massive protrusions, the dragon screamed, lashing its tail in impotent fury as it departed our world.

"There's more coming!" Arthur shouted as a pair of dragons and another soldier appeared. Dylas repeated his wheel kick maneuver on this soldier as I summoned another spiral of stone spikes. Avani quickly switched back to her dual swords and dove in, slashing at the second dragon's wings and neck. She whirled around it, a dervish of destruction, her swords a blur of motion and light. The robotic soldier, meanwhile, slowly rose from where it had crashed near the first, hovering unsteadily as it scanned for targets. Dylas strode up to it, then as it turned and homed in on him, he crashed his fist down onto its top, smashing it to pieces.

The dragon Avani fought lunged forward at her, snapping its jaws, its wings stretched out to either side—bloody, ragged, and completely useless. Avani somersaulted away from its teeth, grimacing as its hot, sulfurous breath surged over her. She crouched and leapt, diving at its neck as it lay hissing and snapping, unable to rise without the use of its wings. She crashed her swords repeatedly into the thick hide, using her momentum to slash through its natural armor and sever its spine. A scream of agony was choked off as its life ended, and it vanished from sight, leaving only a sulfur-stained fang where it had lain dying.

The dragon before me had reared back, narrowly dodging the spikes of rock that had shot up from the deck all around it. It lowered its head and hissed, narrowing its eyes and flicking its tongue, tasting my scent in the air. This dragon was the largest of the five so far, and it appeared more intelligent than the others, as well. I lowered my spear and charged, but it flung itself out of my path with surprising agility, then spun around, knocking me back with its massive tail. The impact flung me back, and I felt myself teetering on the edge of the deck. I heard Avani scream as I fell backwards into empty air.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	36. Chapter 36

**AN:** Thanks for reading my story-I hope you are enjoying it so far! I'd love to hear what you think of it! :)

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><p>I fell back into nothingness, plummeting earthwards. My only thought was of regret that I had not been able to live out my days with the woman I loved most, after all. A cry of anguish escaped my lips… only to be cut short as I jolted to a stop. Looking up, I saw Avani, flung halfway over the edge of the deck, her hand gripping mine. Her face contorted as she struggled to maintain her grip and her balance, scrambling to find purchase even while trying to pull me up. Slowly but steadily, she dragged me upwards until she was able to reach me with her other hand.<p>

Gripping me with both of her hands, she strained back until at last I was able to reach my free hand to the edge of the gangplank. She gave a last mighty heave and fell backwards across the deck, with me sprawled across her, panting and breathless. With a stifled sob, she flung her arms around me, kissing me all over my face and neck as she gasped for air. "I… I thought I'd lost you, too," she sobbed into my neck in a strangled voice.

"Well," I said, still breathless with the sheer relief of living, "thanks to you, it looks like you'll have to put up with me for a while longer." She choked, laughing and crying as she hugged me tightly.

"Hey, you two—a little help over here?" Dylas shouted from across the deck.

We scrambled to our feet, and I retrieved my spear from the deck where it had fallen as Avani dove to gather her swords from where she'd dropped them. As she grabbed them, the dragon spun to knock her down with its tail. She jumped straight up in the air, did a back flip mid-air, and landed on the monsters back between its wings. As the dragon reared back, writhing to shake her from its back, screeching and snapping its jaws, she drove her swords into the soft spot between its wings and held on. As Dylas leapt to rain blows on one flanks and I charged with my spear leveled at the other, Avani unsheathed her massive sword. With a loud shout, she raised the sword high above her head and brought the blade crashing down on the monsters neck, severing the head entirely. It vanished, throwing Avani backwards as her dual blades clattered to the deck.

"You three are amazing!" Arthur called from the airship's helm. "You took on and defeated a small army!"

Dylas wiped the sweat from his brow and looked up at the prince with a savage grin. "Yeah, well, I have a feeling that this fight will seem like a piece of cake compared to what's coming. But whatever is waiting there for us… bring it on!"

"Then brace yourselves," Arthur called, laughing heartily. "We're nearly there—I'm going to pick up speed!" With a jolt, the airship sped onwards towards the fortress ahead. As we approached, I saw a single platform connected by a short bridge to the main island. It looked as though it might have been used for cargo drops, but whatever its intended purpose, it had one outstanding feature: it was unguarded.

"Look, down below—there are no soldiers within sight. I'm going to drop you off there, so get ready!" Arthur shouted to us. We slung our packs over our shoulders and secured our weapons, waiting for the signal. When he'd maneuvered as close to the platform as he dared, he called out to us, "Now's your chance! The Native Dragons protect you!"

Avani held her hand up in farewell, shouting, "Leave it to us, Arthur! Take care of the town while I'm away!" With that, she gave him an impudent wink, and we leaped off the deck.

We landed on the empty platform in unison, the impact enough to cause the floating quay to shudder. Avani unsheathed her dual blades, saying, "Okay, you two. We've no idea what may lie ahead, so be ready for anything." Dylas and I armed ourselves and followed as she cautiously proceeded across the bridge to the central island.

There was no sign of life on the central island—nothing but crates piled carelessly on the stone floor. There were no guards, no monsters, not even a bird or an insect—it was completely barren. Upon further exploration, we found what must be the bridge to Ethelberd's inner sanctum at the north end. The bridge was barred, however, by three massive stone barriers. Knowing his devious mind, no doubt we would find the keys to each barrier somewhere on each of the three outer islands.

In the south of the central island, adjacent to the platform where we had dropped from the airship, was a bridge, and it was there that Avani first led us. The terrain on this island simulated someplace more southerly, I thought—warm and humid with abundant plant life. The first monster we encountered there was one that I had not seen for a very, very long time—indeed, only once in my life. A massive bird with brilliant violet plumage rose up before us. With an indignant screech, it blasted us with a powerful wind from its huge wings, forcing us away from it. Rising up out of reach of our weapons, it cast lightning down upon us, forcing us to scatter from its path. Dylas took shelter behind a tree, while Avani and I crouched behind an adjacent vine-covered stump.

"What the hell _is_ that?"Dylas hissed, watching its flight path to determine where it would next strike.

"It's a—" I started to reply, but Avani interrupted me.

"A thunderbird," she said with wonder in her voice.

I turned and looked at her in surprise. "That's right. They're not indigenous to this region, though. The only reason I know what they are is because I once saw one at a carnival when I was just a boy. The carnival's beastmaster said they were found only in the southern part of the continent. So now I'm curious—how did _you_ know what it was?"

She looked at me, baffled. "I… I don't know. It just came to me. I don't remember ever even seeing one before."

There was no time for further discussion, however, as the giant bird wheeled and swooped down at us. I stood up, holding my spear at the ready as it dove at me, shrieking its defiance as it readied its claws to rend or grasp whatever they could. When it was near enough that its scream was deafening to my ears and the metallic stench of its feathers filled my nostrils, I hove my spear upwards. Its momentum impaled it upon my spearhead, nearly knocking me backwards even as it vanished from sight, leaving only scorch marks along the shaft of my spear and a faint crackling of electricity in the air.

We continued through the convoluted collection of platforms that comprised this island, fighting more thunderbirds as well as huge tortoises with black spiked shells, small green dragons, pepper ghosts, floating robots, and a few wildcats similar to the palm cats native to the Autumn Road but far stronger and more vicious.

We stopped after clearing out several platforms, exhausted, hungry, and in need of healing. Dylas pulled some containers of food from his pack while Avani healed my injuries. Then she healed Dylas, and I healed her. Afterwards, we sat leaning against the trunks of a cluster of chinquapin trees, eating the food that Dylas had unpacked: a sort of a pilaf made of assorted grains, pulses, and vegetables and topped with a thick vegetable stew, and dense curry-filled buns. Not my usual kind of food as a rule, but nutritious and portable. We chose not to take the time to build a fire, and so we ate our meal cold. As soon as we were done, we packed up and continued on our way.

Eventually we came to a platform near the southernmost edge of the island. Before us was an ornate gateway leading to another bridge, the only path remaining to us. We felt certain that any key hidden away on this island would be found ahead—along with whatever guardian Ethelberd had selected to protect it.

Avani stood contemplating it, chewing a handful of nuts and dried fruits for a quick energy boost before continuing onwards. "What do you think he's got guarding the key?" Dylas asked, grabbing a last handful of the mixture before packing it away.

She shrugged, brushing the powder from the nuts off her hands. "Who knows? I'm sure he didn't pick anything especially cute or cuddly, though."

I snorted as I popped the last bite of my dried fish into my mouth. Despite our break earlier, we were all tired from hours of combat under grueling conditions—fighting in the heat and humidity was altogether different from fighting in the more temperate climate to which we were all accustomed, and we felt drained by the experience.

"Well, no use standing around here. Let's do this!" Avani exclaimed, drawing her weapons and charging through the gate and over the bridge beyond. A smaller platform on the far side held only a small switch that activated a warp point, and another bridge led south. We crossed that bridge and found ourselves on the edge of a huge platform.

Waiting in the center of the platform was a massive unmanned tank, made of some extraordinarily smooth metal. Its turret spun around as we charged onto the platform, locking in on us. It fired a volley of small energy projectiles towards us, and the battle commenced.

Avani leaped to one side, I dove to the other, and Dylas sprang up in the air, landing on top of the turret. The tank shuddered from the impact, and began to spin as it attempted to knock him flying. I cast a flame wheel at it, but it barely even damaged the finish. Meanwhile, Avani swapped her dual swords for her fire-imbued longsword. She ducked down and rolled as the tank spun towards her, releasing a volley of large spheres of electrical energy as it rotated. I dove out of its path as Dylas delivered a strong kick to the top of the turret.

Landing in a crouch, I cast an earth wheel at it as it fired another volley of small projectiles. The spikes of rock rose up all around it, damaging its treads and trapping it temporarily. Avani took advantage of its immobility and charged at it, her blade leveled towards the weak point—the turret ring, where the turret joined the hull. Dylas leaped down and out of her way, landing next to me.

Her flash strike attack was a powerful attack that blasted away all that lay in her path; she flew at the tank, and when she connected, she shattered the ring, rendering the turret inoperable. Dylas stood up as she leaped out of the way and, to my great surprise, cast a dark ball at it. The small sphere of concentrated dark magic slowly wend its way around the tank, devouring all that it touched. I looked over at him in amazement. "Not bad! When did you learn to do that?"

He glanced over at me with a half smile. "I've had a lot of free time recently," he replied drily. I chuckled and rose to stand next to him. Raising my hands in front of me, I cast a water column wheel, then pulling out my spear, I leveled it and charged at the tank, diving between the powerful jets of water. I drove my spear into the side of the tank just as Avani came crashing down from above, slashing into the hull with all her might. We breached the hull, both of us, and dove out of the way as Dylas cast his signature electrical attack upon it.

Its armor compromised, the tank was now vulnerable to the magical attack. The electricity crackled all around it, entering the interior of the tank. As the three of us dove for cover, the tank began to spark and snap, exploding a moment later. A shower of debris rained down all around us, and when we looked again, the tank was gone—only a few small parts remained of it.

Avani looked around and saw another bridge to the south, and with a deep sigh of exhaustion, she headed for it. "Come on, guys—that damned key has to be around here somewhere!" Muttering things not at all ladylike under her breath, she strode across the bridge to the next platform.

This platform was empty other than some crates—and a single color-coded switch. Her eyes lit up as she exclaimed "A-ha! I'd bet that's what we're looking for!" She walked over to it, drawing her sword as a precaution, and depressed the lever. A distant rumble was accompanied by a tremor that traveled through the platforms, and we ran back to the warp point. That returned us to the first platform on this island, adjacent to the central island. We ran out and looked around, and sure enough—one of the barriers was gone.

One down, two to go.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	37. Chapter 37

**AN:** More on Monday—thanks for reading! I'd love to hear how you like the story so far!

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><p>Avani turned and looked towards the eastern island. "We should head there next," she mused. "But not tonight, I think. I don't know about you two, but I'm all in. Let's go home, get something to eat, and get a good night's rest. Then we can return in the morning."<p>

"What about the guards? Not that I _mind_ fighting them, but it'll slow us down a lot if we have to go through a major fight every time we take the airship there," Dylas said dubiously.

Avani shook her head. "Shouldn't be a problem. We just wiped out a large percentage of their troops—they'll be scrambling to replace them and won't have the resources to mount aerial attacks on approaching ships. Maybe if we waited a few days, but overnight won't be enough time for them to replenish. Even if they use the gates, there's still not enough time to get them in place by morning."

"Sounds logical," I commented. "So let's see in the morning if it holds true."

Moments after we appeared in Avani's rooms, Clorica came knocking on the door. I'd already shed my armor while Avani and Dylas were still removing theirs, so I answered it. She looked up at me, blushing a little at the sight of my bare chest, and said, "Oh! Excuse me, Mr. Leon, sir..."

"Just Leon is fine, Clorica. What's up?"

"O-okay, Mr.—I mean, Leon. I wondered if you three would like something to eat? You see, I made a big pot of stew, in case you were hungry when you returned…."

"Did someone say _stew_?" Avani called, wriggling out of her mail shirt. She bounded over eagerly, peering at Clorica from below my arm as I held the door open. "Clorica, you're a godsend! I'm so hungry, I could eat a dragon, scales and all!"

Clorica giggled, replying, "Then please wait here, and I'll be back in a minute with some food for you. Oh, and if you care to change out of your dirty things, I'll see to it that they're clean and dry by morning." Then she turned and hurried away.

I looked down at Avani, who was nestled up against me and grinning so happily at the thought of a hot meal, I couldn't help but smile myself. I closed the door and we returned to where Dylas was removing his boots. We finished removing our armor, and following Clorica's suggestion, we changed out of our dirty clothing into robes and boxers. Avani had purchased a few pairs of boxers and a robe similar in cut to the ones Dylas and I favored, only much smaller and a different color—Dylas's were indigo blue and mine were tan, but she'd had hers made in a shade of moss green.

Dylas looked disparagingly at her choice of clothing, saying, "What happened to your pretty nightgowns and robes? You look like a boy in those!"

She looked at him, one eyebrow raised, saying somewhat disdainfully, "Oh, _really_? Like a boy? Funny, I would have thought my breasts were a dead giveaway."

I laughed as Dylas flushed red. "Don't mind him, Avani," I said, still chuckling. "You look adorable, as always." Then she blushed, making me laugh again.

Just then, Clorica knocked on the door. She had a large tray of food, and Vishnal followed behind her with a second tray. There were three deep bowls of piping hot stew, plus a large tureen containing still more stew. A loaf of bread, a large pitcher of frothy ale, and three slices of still-warm apple pie rounded out the meal.

Clorica gathered up our dirty clothing and with a smile, left us to our meal. I had to confess, it was far better than I'd hoped. She was certainly a better cook than Vishnal—_far_ better—perhaps almost as good as Dylas, at least judging from the sampling before us.

A while later, Clorica returned to gather up the dishes. We thanked her wholeheartedly and complimented her cooking until her cheeks looked as if they might catch fire, they were so red. "I-I wanted to do something, anything, to help you, you know. And this is what I do best," she replied shyly. As she departed, she let Avani know that our clothes was now drying before the great kitchen hearth, and that she'd have Vishnal bring them with him when he came to wake her.

"That reminds me," Dylas said, giving Avani a covetous look, "which one of us gets to stay with you tonight?" I narrowed my eyes at him fleetingly before carefully schooling my features back into an easygoing expression.

Avani grabbed her hairbrush and began to brush out her long hair. "Oh gods, Dylas, I don't care. You can both stay. Or go. Whatever. I'm much too exhausted to do anything except sleep anyway, so do as you like, as long as you just let me _sleep_." She tossed the brush back onto her bedside table, hung up her robe and climbed into her bed. She was asleep just a moment later.

I looked at Dylas, who glared back at me. I shrugged, saying, "Well, I don't know about you, but _I'm_ not planning on going back to my room tonight. Good night." I hung my robe up, too, and climbed into bed next to her, spooning up to her and putting my arm around her. Even though she was already sound asleep, she smiled and cuddled against me. I could sense Dylas fuming behind me, and a moment later he climbed in on her other side. Glaring again at me, he snuggled up to her, tucking his arm around her below mine and resting his forehead against hers.

When Vishnal woke us in the morning, we were still in roughly the same positions as we'd fallen asleep, except that Avani had flipped sides so that Dylas was now snuggled up to her back and I was touching foreheads with her. She curled up into a drowsy little ball when Vishnal opened her curtains to let the brilliant spring sunlight in, then yelped a moment later. I looked down at her and found Dylas's hand had slipped down onto her breast and, still half asleep, he was giving it a few good squeezes. Turning bright red, she elbowed him hard, jolting him out of what were no doubt some very pleasant dreams. I tried without much success to not laugh at his bewildered expression—or at Vishnal's embarrassment when he turned and saw his beloved Princess naked from the waist up. "You know," I said with a chuckle, "you might want to consider a top of some sort to go with your new pyjamas."

Our trip back to the floating fortress was quick and uneventful—apparently Avani's assumptions had been correct, and they'd not had sufficient troops to mount an assault as we approached. We landed on the same platform as before, and headed on to the central island. "Let's take on the eastern island next," Avani said, looking back and forth at the two opposing bridges. "That'll make maneuvering the airship that much safer, if we have both of the adjacent islands even partially cleared."

"Sounds good to me," I replied, pulling my spear out.

"Sure, whatever," Dylas muttered as he slung his rucksack over his shoulder. He was still out of sorts from earlier, but I figured a few good fights and he'd be right as rain.

Avani ignored his sulky mood as she unsheathed her dual swords. "Let's get a move on then, shall we?" And once again we were off at a run.

The first platform of the eastern island was empty except for a series of seven columns, each a different color. They looked as though they had some significance other than the merely decorative, but none of us could tell what. Continuing on, we found that this island was nearly as warm and humid as the other, only where the southern island had been jungle-like, this one was more open. Oh yes, and heavily populated with man-eating plants that would burst out of the dense groundcover unexpectedly, snapping toothily at our legs.

The denizens of the eastern island were primarily giant crimson panthers, huge trolls, and more of those hovering robotic soldiers. Furthermore, the bridges between the platforms on this island were frequently blocked by colored pillars, forcing us to follow a predetermined path. Switches and levers hidden among the dense foliage of the platforms unlocked these pillars, opening up new areas as we traversed the island. It was slow, tedious going, involving a lot of backtracking and searching.

After fighting quite a ways into the maze of platforms, we reached a large platform that was populated with only one monster. But, oh what a monster! A giant troll, each leg dwarfing even Dylas, hefting a war hammer with a head as large as a good-sized buffamoo. As we skidded to a stop behind it, it slowly turned around. Seeing us, it bellowed in rage and took a step towards us. Its footfall was so heavy, the platform shuddered from the impact.

We each dove in a different direction, working with an intuitive teamwork that only long-time comrades-in-arms can achieve. I rolled and sprang up partway behind it; Dylas and Avani flanked it, Dylas to its left and Avani to its right. I cast a flame wheel at it, then leveled my spear and charged at the back of its right knee. Dylas assailed its left leg, seeking to knock it out from underneath with his kicks and punches. Avani dashed in front of the monster, ducking beneath a swing of its mighty weapon. Although the giant was massive and powerful, it was slow and stupid. Avani darted around, dodging the pendulous swing of the hammer as she slashed and sliced at its legs. Dylas and I both backed away to give her space, instead casting spells—Dylas casting his electrical attack from the front left of the platform while I alternated between whirlwind wheel and flame wheel from the front and right of the giant.

All at once, I looked up as I finished casting another whirlwind wheel just in time to see the giant raise its hammer high in the air, preparing to smash it down on Avani's head as she again drove in, slashing at its knee. I shouted out a warning to her, but not quickly enough—the hammer crashed down on top of her with enough force that the platform shook. Dylas bellowed an ear-shattering roar such as I'd never heard before—that, despite all his protests, sounded like nothing so much as the scream of an enraged stallion.

"Avani!" we both shouted as we leapt forward. The giant slowly raised his hammer, scratching its head stupidly as it looked—and found nothing there. I stopped short, baffled by the sight. Dylas likewise looked bewildered, then we spotted her, climbing onto the monster's shoulder from its back as if scaling a wall. Reaching its shoulders, she planted her feet firmly and gripping the monster by its stringy hair to keep her balance as she began to belabor the beast around its head and neck, slashing at its heavy, leathery hide. Irritated rather than pained by her attack, the giant shook its head then slapped at her to dislodge her. Easily dodging its blows, she continued her assault until, finally, the beast growled in frustration and raised its hammer to strike at her. She leaped from its shoulders just as the blow fell, and the beast collapsed, knocked out by its own weapon. Simultaneously, I cast a water column wheel, Dylas cast his electrical attack, and Avani cast penetrate sonic at the fallen creature. Defeated, it vanished from sight, a shard of its splintered hammer and a splinter of one of its massive nails all that was left behind.

"Goddamn it all to hell!" Dylas spat vehemently, as he spun to face her, his expression thoroughly incensed. "What were you _thinking_? Are you _insane_? Next time, _tell_ us before you pull a stunt like that!"

Avani and I stared at him, stunned, as he ranted at her. When he was finished, she scowled, looking pretty angry herself. "So, what, I'm supposed to just shout out everything I do before I do it? And warn our opponents of exactly what I'm going to do, so they can counter my moves more effectively? What kind of freaking genius strategy is _that_? Are you trying to get me _killed_?"

To her surprise—and mine—Dylas grabbed her and jerked her roughly to him. He glared down at her for a moment… then kissed her, wildly and passionately. After a moment, she pulled free and backed away a few steps. "What… what the _hell_? What is _wrong_ with you? First you yell at me, now you act like you want to make out right here in the middle of enemy territory, in front of Leo even. What's gotten _into_ you all of a sudden?" she berated him, confused by his actions.

He grabbed her shoulders, pulling her back to him and holding her tightly. "I… I thought I'd lost you," he muttered in a strangled voice. "When I saw that monster's hammer come down, I… I…."

She looked up at him in dismay as tears spilled out from the corners of his eyes. "Dylas… I-I'm so sorry. I didn't mean… I didn't know…." She looked over at me, her eyes stricken. "And you? Did you…?"

I nodded, rubbing the back of my neck to smooth the fine hairs that had stood on end in that harrowing moment. "Yeah… well, I didn't see you get out of the way, either, so…. It was pretty heart-rending, to say the least."

She bowed her head for a moment, then putting one arm around Dylas, she held the other out for me. She held us tightly for a long moment, not saying anything. Then she released us, saying, "I'm sorry, very sorry, for worrying you two like that. I-I don't know what to say. But at the same time, please try to have a little faith in me, okay? I really can't just go and tell you my plans ahead of time. For one, doing so would give them away to the enemy, and for two, half the time I'm flying by the seat of my pants and don't know quite what I'm going to do until I do it. I mean, when I see an opportunity, I take it. So I'm going to apologize in advance for any scares I put you through in the future—I'm sure there will be plenty of them. But you know, it kind of goes with the territory. As long as I'm fit to be a warrior and there is need for me as such, I'm going to be out there risking my life. So I'm counting on the two of you for backup and to lend a hand if I do ever get badly injured. There's no one in all the world that I trust to have my back as I do you two—_no one_."

I looked down at her and smiled at her serious expression. "Just tell me when you want me to take you somewhere. Anytime you need me, I'll be there for you," I said softly, stroking her cheek.

Dylas nodded, embarrassed now by his emotional outburst. "Sorry for, uhh, for getting so mad. It just scared me really bad. So… yeah. Just… just please take me with you whenever you go someplace dangerous. So maybe then I can help you, like you said."

After a brief rest, we continued on through the maze of bridges and platforms until at last we faced a bridge with a large ornate gate, similar to the one in the southern island that had led to the switch we sought there. We cautiously proceeded, and on the other side a massive unmanned vehicle—another tank of sorts—waited for us. It cast several large energy beams at us as it spun around to face us, causing us to leap out of the way, and battle was joined.

From the side, Dylas cast his energy strike at the tank. Lightning crackled all around it and confused it temporarily, causing it to spray volley after volley of projectiles in random directions. Then as he charged in, leaping on top of the turret, I cast earth wheel while Avani cast prism, bringing forth four globes of light energy that whirled around her, intercepting attacks and dealing damage to whatever came into contact with them. She ran towards the tank with her dual swords drawn and ready while Dylas rained blows down from the top and I cast another earth wheel. She leaped up and began to hack away at the gun with her swords. Her prism spell chipped away at both the hull and the gun, and Dylas, quickly discerning her plan, altered his attack to focus on the gun, as well.

Soon the gun barrel was battered and partially collapsed, and Avani and Dylas leaped away, dodging behind some crates for cover as they shouted to me to take cover. The tank spun towards their voices and advanced upon them. Then to my surprise, it exploded in a ball of fire. It had attempted to fire upon us, but with the gun barrel blocked, the attack backfired, blowing the tank into shards.

Once the dust settled, we continued on, finding a lever on the next platform to the east. Avani threw the switch, and we again used the warp point near the bridge to return to the central island. We strode up to the north end to examine the bridge there, and we found that another barrier had disappeared.

Two down, one to go.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	38. Chapter 38

**AN:** Sorry, this is kind of a long chapter! Many of the events in this chapter were inspired by the game event titled "For Clumsy You." I hope you enjoy reading it-I'd love to hear how you like it!

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><p>We returned to Avani's rooms and dropped off our gear before heading over to the inn's bathhouse for a much-needed soak in the fragrant baths. They were quiet at that hour—Jones was the only occupant on the men's side when Dylas and I stepped in to shower before our soak, and he left shortly after we settled down in the large pool of steaming water. Dylas seemed unusually quiet, or perhaps sullen was a better word for it. I knew better than to talk to him when he was in that frame of mind. If he wanted to talk, he would initiate a conversation—otherwise it was better to let him alone. So I just leaned back and enjoyed the warmth of the water and the scented steam and let him stew. I knew that whatever was on his mind wouldn't stay there long—he was a man of action, not of deep thoughts or eloquent speeches.<p>

Afterwards, scrubbed and relaxed and in clean clothing, we walked over to Porcoline's for a late dinner. Fortunately, the restaurant had extended hours—though whether for his customers' convenience or for additional opportunities to sneak more food past Margaret, I was never entirely sure. We all ordered set meals—sashimi for Dylas, curry for Avani, and grilled salmon for myself, and Margaret stood by to ensure that our food reached our table intact. Dylas's pensive mood continued throughout the meal, so Avani and I talked while he mostly just picked at his food, eating less than usual despite the day's exertions.

Avani's armor had been badly damaged in combat, and she decided that it really wasn't adequate anymore. She wanted to upgrade all our armor, but she wasn't sure with what yet. So she suggested that after the meal we return to her rooms, examine our equipment, and search through her various texts on smithing to see if there was a mention of anything that would be an improvement on what we currently had. Then she wanted to go in search of whatever materials were needed the next day, spend the day after that making the new equipment, and then finally return to tackle the western island of the floating fortress on the third day.

"Sure," I said when she put forth her suggested plan of action. "That sounds great. What do you think?" I turned to Dylas.

He started slightly, then blushed a little. "Uhh, sorry. No. I-I can't. I… I'm busy tomorrow."

Avani raised her eyebrow. "Weren't you just telling me earlier to ask you to come with me if I went anywhere dangerous? So now that I'm asking, suddenly you can't?"

He turned even more red, saying, "Yeah. But at least you'll have Leon, so it's not like you'll be all alone."

Avani just stared at him, perplexed, then shrugged, saying, "Well, if you can't, you can't. We'll manage just fine without you, I expect." Then she pushed her chair back and rose. "I'm going to go settle the bill. Are you guys almost done?"

I nodded, but Dylas, looking away, said, "I… I have some stuff I have to do. You go on ahead. Sorry to ask, but can you just look at my stuff for me and decide what to replace? I'm going to be too busy tonight. Sorry."

Again Avani stared at him, her brow furrowed. "Dylas, what is it? What's up? You're acting really strangely. Is something wrong? Are you… are you still mad about earlier? I said I was sorry—there really wasn't much choice, you know. I thought we got all that cleared up?"

"No, it's not that, it's… it's nothing. I just have some things to do, so I don't have time right now to hang out with you." Then he quickly stood up and bolted out of the restaurant, leaving us staring after him.

"What… what is _wrong_ with that nitwit today, anyway? Doesn't have _time_ for me? When I'm doing _him_ a favor? Ugh… whatever. I'm going to regret that I ever took him back, though, if he's going to be like _this_." She sighed and shook her head in irritation. "Well, if you're finished? Let's get going. Hopefully _you_ aren't too busy for me, too?"

"Indeed not, My Lady," I said with a sympathetic smile. Though I was not at all displeased to spend some time alone in her company, I still regretted the circumstances since I hated to see her unhappy. If the saying that you hurt the ones you love was true, then Dylas must love her _very_ dearly.

It was a beautiful spring evening, and the sun was just setting when we left the restaurant. So we decided to stroll along through the western side of town in order to enjoy the colorful display. As we passed the blacksmith's shop, Avani decided to stop in and see if perhaps Bado had any suggestions for better armor. We stepped in and looked around for the smith, but to our surprise, we saw Dylas of all people, back at the forge, busy with some task.

"Dylas? What are you doing _here_? I thought you were busy?" Avani said in surprise, walking back to the forge.

He jumped and spun around. "Gah! Don't sneak up on me like that!" he yelled, turning first white, then red.

"What are you talking about? I _didn't_ sneak up on you. I just walked in through the door like a normal person. What are you doing here?"

"Aah! Uhh, nothing—I'm not doing anything. Just… just go away, will you? I don't have time for you right now."

"You… _what_? Come on, what are you up to? Why are you acting so strange?" Avani said, scowling.

"I-I'm not acting strange! _You're_ acting strange—stop following me around! Just leave me alone!"

She stood stock still and just stared at him, hurt and anger jockeying for position on her face. Finally she just said, "Fine! Have a _wonderful_ night all by yourself, Dylas." Then she turned on her heel and stalked out, grabbing my arm on the way—her original errand forgotten.

Once she was outside the smith, her face crumpled and tears slipped down her cheeks. "I don't understand, Leo. What did I do? Why is he acting like this? Is he really _that_ upset about earlier?"

I wiped the tears from her cheeks and put my arm around her. "Don't worry about it, My Lady. You know Dylas—he just gets moody from time to time. I'm sure he'll get over it soon—whatever 'it' is."

We returned to her rooms and gathered up her tomes on the art of smithing. Sitting before the fire, we pored over her books, until at last she sat up excitedly. "This! Oh, it seems so obvious now, but I never even _thought_ of doing armor this way! And I can get the materials without too much difficulty, so that's even better!"

"What is it, My Lady? What did you find?" I said, closing my book and peering over at the book that lay open on her lap.

"Just this—if you add diamond studs to this fairly basic armor, here, see? Like this… the diamonds are so hard, that they create a, well, not exactly _impervious_ armor, but definitely pretty tough. Brilliant in its simplicity, isn't it? I saw some ore up in the mountains, in the Sechs territory, that looked as though it might contain diamonds, and this kind of armor is one that I can readily obtain from the Viking monsters that are all over the place up there. So what do you say? Do you feel up to taking on some Vikings and mammoos and maybe a few death stalkers and tundras? It doesn't look like Dylas will be coming with us, but we can take Baldur if you like—he could use the exercise, to be honest."

"Certainly. It's been some time since we've gone out fighting, just the two of us. Even if it's too cold up there for any impromptu diversions, it'll still be enjoyable to spend some time alone with you."

She flashed me a grateful smile. "You know, I don't know how you do it, but whenever I'm feeling down or angry or whatever, you seem to know just exactly how to make me feel better."

I set her book aside and leaned over to kiss her, saying, "Well, My Lady, it's a bit of an obsession of mine—making you feel better. Allow me to demonstrate…."

The next morning, before we set of to the Sechs territory, Avani decided to try again to persuade Dylas to come with us. "It's not that I don't like the idea of it being just the two of us," she assured me. "But if I'm going to the effort to gather materials and craft him some armor, it seems like the _least_ he can do is come along and help get the supplies I need. I don't think that's all _that_ much to ask. I don't know what's come up so suddenly, but surely he can postpone it a little longer?"

I shrugged and smiled at her. "I've no idea, My Lady. He hasn't said anything to me, though I did notice he seemed unusually untalkative yesterday—even for him."

She sighed and stood up from the breakfast table. Gathering up the dishes, she said, "Well, it won't hurt to ask, anyway."

We washed up and headed over to the restaurant. Dylas came rushing out just as we reached the door, nearly knocking us over in his haste. "Dylas!" Avani shouted as he dashed off, oblivious to our presence. He came to a sudden halt and turned to look back at us, scowling as Avani ran up to him. "We're about to head off to the Sechs territory to get materials for the new armor I'm going to make us—can you join us?"

"I already told you, I don't have _time_ for you! Quit following me everywhere!" He turned and ran off, leaving Avani stunned on the street behind him.

I quickly hurried over to her and embraced her. "Hey, don't fret. You've still got me, right? So let's get going. You can pretend that the mammoos are Dylas—they're big and dumb, too."

She hiccupped a laugh and a sob mixed together and wiped a tear from her eye. "I just don't know what's going on with him. I… I feel like I've lost one of my best friends, and I don't have a clue why." She heaved a deep sigh, then turned and slowly headed towards the airship.

We spent most of the day fighting Vikings and other monsters as well as searching for mineral ore. By late afternoon, Avani had acquired enough materials, and we returned home. After dropping off the materials and our equipment, we headed over to the inn to soak in the baths for a while before dinner. A good day's fighting and a nice long soak in the tub seemed to at least partially restore her spirits, and we returned to her rooms. I set about grilling some shrimp while she made fried rice and a salad.

After dinner, we went for a stroll. As we walked along Airship Way, Dylas came striding along towards the restaurant. Avani stopped and stared at him, a pensive look in her eyes. Then quickly, as if suddenly making up her mind, she strode up to him. "Dylas," she said, and he started, caught off guard. "_Why_ are you avoiding me?"

"I-I'm not!" he protested.

"Yes, you _are_! All of a sudden you're too busy for me, and you keep telling me to get lost. It's like we were never even friends, let alone lovers! _Why_?"

"I… it's only that… that you just won't leave me alone!"

Avani turned pale and I could see tears in her eyes. "Why, Dylas? Why are you treating me like this? Why are you being so _mean_ to me?"

A startled look came over Dylas's face. "I-I'm…. Look, just go, will you? Just… go away and leave me alone."

She stood there, stricken, then she slapped him and ran, sobbing, down the steps to her garden and on to the castle, with me following close on her heels.

She burst through her back door, and throwing herself down on her bed, she began to wail loudly, great sobs racking her small frame. I sat next to her and murmured soothingly to her, stroking her hair until she quieted and, utterly spent, finally fell asleep, her cheeks bright and hot and wet with tears.

As soon as she was soundly asleep, I hurried to the inn to fetch Sano and Uno. I settled them in to keep a close eye on her, reminding them to avoid contact with her while she slept. Then I left.

I found Dylas in his room, pacing back and forth. He looked up and glared at me when I entered his room. "I don't have time for you, either," he snapped.

I narrowed my eyes and growled, my ears flattened against my skull, "Maybe so, but buddy, you're going to _make_ the time, and right now." I grabbed him by the collar and dragged him clear through town, all the way to the shore of Dragon Lake, where we had a little privacy. I jerked him up close to me, glaring into his face despite his advantage in height. "Listen," I snarled. "Enough is enough. I don't know what the _hell_ you're playing at, but I'm sick and tired of you making Avani cry all the time. You'd better have a _damn_ good excuse for being a total dickwad, because otherwise I'm going to kick your ass all up one side of town and down the other." Then I threw him to the ground and stood over him, glowering. "Now you listen—when Avani walks out her door tomorrow morning, I want you standing there waiting in the courtyard. And you're going to apologize to her for the hurtful things you've said and done. And you're going to _mean_ it, or I _will_ kick your ass. Is that clear?"

He bristled and replied, struggling to his feet, "Shut the fuck up, Leon! Mind your own goddamn business. This doesn't concern you!"

"Oh, yes it does. If it involves Avani, it involves me. And if you keep on hurting Avani, I will _most certainly_ hurt you. Keep that in mind."

"Pfft, I could take you any day," he said scornfully. "I'm bigger and stronger than you."

"Maybe so, but I'm faster and smarter—and a _hell_ of a lot angrier. Care to try me?"

Before he could reply, though, a loud roar broke the stillness. "Dyyyllllaasssss!" bellowed Volkanon as he raced towards us. As he neared Dylas, he pulled out his massive war hammer and held it at the ready. Diving at the younger man, he shouted, "How! Dare! You! Make! Her! Cry!" with each swing.

Dylas jumped out of the way, shouting, "What the _hell_?"

"Dylas! How _dare_ you hurt someone as sweet and good as Avani! Prepare to be punished!" a strident female voice shouted, and I turned to see Forte charging, sword drawn, straight for her target. Again he dove out of the way… and then all hell broke loose.

Nearly en masse, the entire town—barring Avani and Venti—converged on Dylas, shouting angrily and threatening him with fists and weapons while lecturing and scolding him soundly. Confused and dismayed, he ducked and rolled and darted this way and that, trying to avoid the mob of angry villagers. He turned and fled, tripping and falling as he dove up the stairs leading from the lakeshore to the town. He picked himself up and dashed away, racing as fast as he could to lock himself in his room above the restaurant.

I returned to Avani's room as quietly as I could. Sano assured me that she'd slept the entire time without the slightest disturbance. The two foxes rose and stretched in unison, then curled up together on a chair in the sitting area. After changing into my pyjamas, I carefully climbed into bed next to her. I gently put my arms around her, and she nestled up to me with a ragged, sobbing sigh before slipping back into a deep slumber. I sighed to myself, thinking over the night's events. I had a pretty good guess what was behind Dylas's odd behavior, and if my hunch was correct, I was none too thrilled.

The next morning, I made her breakfast in bed and told her I'd asked Vishnal and Clorica to see to her gardens and beasts that morning so that she could rest up. So she enjoyed a rare lazy morning at home, and I gladly enjoyed it with her. I hadn't forgotten what I'd told Dylas, though, so after a reasonable amount of time, I suggested we dress and go pay a few social calls before she settled down to her day's work at her forge.

Sure enough, when we walked through her front door, Dylas was there, standing silent and still before her door. She started, first turning white and then red as she recalled his words the previous evening. "What do _you_ want? I thought you wanted me to keep away from you. So why are you _here_?" she asked, her voice icy.

Dylas blushed and looked away for a moment, then straightened up to meet her gaze. "I-I know. And I'm sorry. I said… I said some things that I shouldn't have. I didn't _mean_ to hurt you. I just didn't stop to think."

"Well, was there some _reason_ that you treated me that way?"

He hesitated before answering, "Ye-e-es… but I can't tell you why."

"Fine, then. See you around," she said, angrily, as she turned to walk away.

"Wait! _Wait_! Please, Avani, just give me a minute. I… I know you're mad at me, and you have every right to be mad. I know I'm a jerk and I keep on saying and doing things that hurt you, even though I don't mean to. But please just listen to me. I can't tell you the reason _yet_. Please, just trust me—just give me a little more time."

"How long are you talking about? I'm not saying I forgive you, mind, but I want to know exactly what it is you're asking of me."

"Can you meet me here tonight? Like, around 19:00? Or if you aren't ready to talk to me then, I'll wait until you are. And if you still aren't ready tomorrow, I'll wait until the next day, or the next, or the one after that. Even if it takes a hundred years, I'll wait here for you, however long it takes until you are willing."

Avani sighed tiredly, obviously touched by his plea, but equally obviously still angry with him. "And you'll tell me everything then?" Again he hesitated, and Avani scowled at him. "Give me your word that you'll tell me _everything_, and I'll agree to meet you and hear you out. If you won't give me your word, then no deal."

"Okay, okay! I'll tell you everything. I-I promise."

"Fine. Then I'll see you at 19:00. Oh, and meet me inside, not in the courtyard—I'll be making new armor today, and even if you _have_ been a complete ass to me, you still need armor. So I'll want you to try it on before we have our talk."

He nodded, then he ran off to make whatever preparations he intended to make. She turned towards me, a thoughtful look in her eyes. "You knew about this, didn't you?"

"Well, 'knew' is perhaps a little strong. It's not as if he's been confiding in me. Let's just say, I had a pretty strong hunch."

"Strong _and_ accurate, I'll bet. Well, if I'm supposed to meet him here tonight, I guess I'd better skip social calls and get right to work forging. Sorry, Leo. You're welcome to hang around if you like, though don't feel obligated—I know it's hard on your ears."

"It is, rather. I think I'll do some more work on translating—in my room at the inn, since your forge is too near your study for me to concentrate over the din."

"All right, then. I'll bring your armor with me when I come to bathe tonight, and you can see how it fits. So probably around 17:00, give or take a little depending on how the work goes."

"I'll be there," I replied, then leaned down and gave her a tender, somewhat wistful kiss before heading back inside to grab my things.

I spent the day working on some translations, and as promised, Avani came by just a few minutes before 17:00. She pulled out the armor, and I gave a low whistle. The armor was designed as a plate to cover the chest and abdomen, with heavy straps to secure it in place. Made of some very hard, dull, whitish metal, the plate was thickly studded with diamonds and diamond chips in a decorative design reminiscent of peacock feathers. It was a thing of beauty as well as function. I removed my vest and slipped it on—it fit perfectly.

"Do… you like it? Does it fit you?"

"It's perfect. Almost too nice to use, though," I replied, smiling at her as I removed it again. "Thank you," I said, giving her a kiss.

"It's the first time I've really felt like I had the skill to do something decorative. I was afraid you wouldn't like it, though… that it would be, well, silly."

"Not in the least." I assured her, kissing her again.

I accompanied her down to the baths, as I felt like I could use a break anyway. Afterwards, I headed over to Porcoline's, but to my surprise, I found it was closed for a private party. With a shrug, I turned around and returned to the inn, where I asked Lin if she would please send up a meal for me. It looked as though I'd be staying in, after all.

I had just put away my translation work and thrown myself down on my bed, feeling too restless to sleep or read a book, and debating if I should go for a walk or possibly even go do some monster hunting, when I heard the sound of footsteps racing up the stairs. I sat up just as Avani bolted into my room, sobbing. I glanced at the clock—it was 22:00, so whatever had her weeping was almost certainly due to Dylas… _again_. I felt my jaw clench in anger. That boy was getting to be a real problem.

"My Lady? What happened? Are you all right?" I asked as she flung herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck and sobbing into my shoulder. It was several minutes before she calmed enough to talk, and even then it was difficult to get anything coherent from her.

"That… that _idiot_!" she finally gasped.

"What is it, My Lady? What happened?"

"He… he… he asked me to _marry_ him!" she said in a strangled voice, then began to cry again.

I stiffened at her announcement. So I'd been right, after all. "He did, did he?" was all that I said.

"Yes. Why did he have to go and do _that_? Everything was _perfect._" she sniffled, burrowing into my embrace.

"Was it?" I said, gently.

She sat up in surprise and looked at me. "Y-yes, or I _thought_ it was, anyway…."

Stroking her cheek softly, I said "My Lady, it's permissible to deceive others from time to time—necessary, even. In battle, for example, or to hide a pleasant surprise from a friend. But you mustn't ever deceive _yourself_. Now, think it over, and ask yourself—_is_ everything perfect? Or just… merely acceptable? You don't need to answer me, and I think you already know the answer yourself, anyway." I sighed and lay back on my bed, and she lay next to me, snuggled up close on the narrow bed, looking thoughtful.

"Sometimes we fool ourselves into thinking everything is perfect simply because we want to believe it—maybe because it's easier to believe things are fine then to confront reality. But then we aren't really seeing things as they are—we're putting blinders on, ignoring the truth, oblivious to how others may be feeling. And that's not a tenable situation for any involved."

She looked into my eyes, startled and distressed. "Does that mean that you and Dylas are suffering? That our situation is making you both miserable?"

I smiled at her, saying, "No. I don't mean that. I… was thinking more of… of a different set of circumstances." She still looked worried, so I stroked her soft, silky hair. "Honest—I wasn't talking about you or the three of us. Just… just something I remembered. Although it's still not bad advice."

"Maybe… but still, you asked me if things were _really_ perfect, or if I was deceiving myself. And I guess the answer to that is no—not _exactly_—on both counts. But… sometimes the truth is not merely unpleasant but unbearable, and deception is simply a type of armor. Don't you think?"

"Perhaps." I gave her a kiss on her forehead. "Am I to take it, then, given that you're now lying in bed with me, that you did not give him a favorable response?"

She snorted. "Not the one he hoped for, if that's what you mean. I _do_ love him… I-I really do. But… I don't want to marry him, because then that would mean losing _you_. And _that_ would be unbearable."

I held her tightly then, relief washing over me in cleansing waves, and we just lay there, the two of us, and thought our private thoughts in the pleasure of each other's company.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	39. Chapter 39

**AN:** Lemony lemon alert! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thanks for reading, and I'd love to hear from you in either the reviews or in a PM! :)

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><p>We fell asleep that night on my narrow bed, still fully dressed and in each others arms. I woke at some point during the night and pulled a blanket over us, as the spring nights were still rather chilly. Then I fell back asleep with her warm, still body pressed against mine.<p>

When I awoke the next morning, Avani was gone. She had left a note propped up on my bedside table informing me that she had returned home to tend to her gardens and beasts and inviting me to join her for breakfast.

I arrived in her gardens just as she emerged from her barn, carrying a crate full of milk cans with a basket of eggs balanced on top. She gently set the eggs on top of her shipping container just as Vishnal came down the steps behind me to haul her day's produce to the waiting airship. I followed her into the kitchen, where she deposited the milk in her refrigerator and began pulling out ingredients to make breakfast. "I hope you won't mind, but I invited Dylas to breakfast, too. He should be here any minute."

I was a little taken aback at first, but after reflecting for a moment, it wasn't really all _that_ surprising. Avani likely felt somewhat guilty for turning Dylas down, and was doubtless eager to try to restore some normalcy to our recently disrupted accord. So carrying on as if nothing had happened really seemed pretty characteristic for her… but I wasn't at all sure that things _could_ go back to normal. It mostly depended on Dylas, I supposed, and whether he was willing and able to return to the relationship they'd previously enjoyed.

Avani started some porridge simmering, then began chopping vegetables to make a filling for omelets. Meanwhile, I started the coffee, then grabbed a basket of oranges on her counter in preparation for juicing them. I was just slicing the first orange in half when there was a knock on the door. When I opened the door, Dylas stepped in, looking painfully awkward. He stopped just inside the door and looked questioningly at me. I nodded, saying, "She told me."

He looked away again, his eyes both relieved and dismayed, saying, "I… you know, I really didn't think I had a chance. But… I had to at least _try_. I couldn't have lived with myself if I'd never even made the attempt. But… she said no, so that's that. I guess I'll just take what she's willing to give, while she's willing to give me _any_ share in her life, however small."

I raised an eyebrow as I said, "Even if all she wants is to continue as we are indefinitely? Can you… bear that?"

He shrugged. "I don't honestly know. But for now… I'd rather that than lose her completely."

I nodded in sympathy. I understood how he felt, as I felt much the same way. Though in my case, our state of limbo was entirely my fault, tied as I was by an old promise to one who was no longer able to release me from those bonds.

As we ate, Avani said that she was ready to go tackle the western island on the floating fortress, if we were ready to join her. Dylas and I agreed, so we finished our meal, donned our gear, and headed for the airship.

This trip was as quiet as the previous one, despite the two-day delay. Landing on the floating quay, we again headed to the central island and hence westward. This island was… well, nothing short of a royal pain in the ass. Instead of platforms connected by bridges, it was instead comprised of small clusters of two or three platforms each, which were connected by warp points. The guards of this island were largely dark and undead monsters: chiefly fausts, dark slimes, dark fairies, and hell spiders, though later we also encountered some rather tough golems. However, the monsters themselves weren't so much the problem as trying to figure out our way through all the teleporters. We soon lost count how many times we ended up back at the start, backtracking yet again as we tried to map out a way through the tangled confusion of platforms.

While the other islands had taken roughly eight or nine hours to complete, this one took us two _days_ of hard work, slogging through dismal, swampy, steamy platforms. At the end of the first day, after fighting for a good twelve hours straight, we were thoroughly exhausted. If we hadn't been so muddy and sweaty, I think we would have collapsed in a heap on the floor until dawn. But instead we dragged ourselves to the baths, eating whatever Lin had on hand to feed us and trying to keep from falling asleep in the water. When we returned to Avani's room, we barely could keep awake long enough to clean our equipment before we fell into her bed all together. I can't speak for the others, but I was asleep almost as soon as my head hit a pillow—or whatever soft surface it landed on.

The next day was much the same, though at least we had charted a large portion of the island by that time. Using our maps, we headed straight to where we had left off the night before, then continued on. Even so, it was another eight hours before we finally reached the gateway that indicated we had, at long last, reached the guardian of the third and final key. We paused for a rest, drained and exhausted, and ate a quick meal before we continued on.

This time, instead of a tank of some sort waiting for us, we found a huge stone golem. It stood at least twice as tall as Dylas and looked like a miniature, mobile fortress. It stormed towards us, surprisingly fast and agile for something so massive. Dylas ducked underneath its fist, aiming kicks at its legs as he dodged the blow. I leaped back and immediately cast a water column wheel, the spiraling jets of high-pressure water blasting into the crevices of its rockwork.

It spun around and then, sighting Avani as she retreated to cast a spell, lowered its head and charged at her, like a high-speed battering ram. She saw it coming and leaped up and over, landing on its back. She wedged her longsword into a crevice at its neck as it straightened up, and using it like a piton, she held on as the golem spun around, trying to dislodge her. Unable to rid itself of her, it next zipped over the platform towards me, swinging its fists like heavy pendulums. I ducked and rolled out of the way, then dove between its legs to cast another water column wheel from behind it. As it tried to follow me, Dylas charged at it, dodging the jets of water and landing a firm kick on its leg that stunned it into immobility for a moment.

That brief moment was all that Avani needed—she released her hold on the sword, and with a shout, she cast the forbidden spell, darkness, straight into the golem's head. She yanked her sword free and leaped clear as a small, black hole appeared where its head had been, devouring the construct as it slowly expanded. The golem careened wildly, trying to escape the ravening blackness, but to no avail. Soon nothing remained of it, and the hole collapsed in on itself and vanished.

We dashed on ahead to the adjacent platform, and Avani pulled the lever we found there. Again the entire fortress shuddered as a loud grinding sound filled the air, even from such a distance. We backtracked to the nearest warp point and returned to the central island.

The fourth and final bridge was clear at last.

We returned to town and dropped off our equipment before heading to the baths. After our baths, we went to Porcoline's restaurant, where Avani placed an order for takeout. While we waited, we went over to Arthur's office next door and caught him up to date. He was surprised and thrilled to hear that we had already all but cornered Ethelberd in his well-guarded lair.

After we had finished our meal and changed into our pyjamas, Dylas and I again looked at each other and then Avani. She looked back and forth between the two of us and sighed. "Listen," she said, blushing a little and looking down, "we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. It… it's entirely possible that one of us—or even _all_ of us—will die fighting Ethelberd, because I have the feeling he's finished running at last. So tonight, I… I…." She stopped, unable to finish her sentence.

"So you find yourself unable to choose between us for a partner for the night? Is that what you're trying to say, My Lady?" I asked, in a gentle voice.

She turned a little more red and nodded. "To be honest… I want to be with _both_ of you. _Not_ at the same time!" she added hastily as Dylas began to protest vociferously. "I… what I _mean_ is, I'd like to spend some time with each of you, because… because…."

I put my hand on her shoulder. "We understand, My Lady—or at least, I believe _I_ do. So if Dylas is willing to accommodate your desire, it only remains to determine the… uh, the order." I looked at Dylas, who blushed and looked away, but gave a curt nod of agreement.

"Then you two decide who… what order. It probably matters more to you than to me, anyway," she added a little drily. She turned and sat on the edge of her large bed. "Whoever is second can rest on my daybed in my study, then, if that is acceptable?" We both nodded, then turned to face each other.

"I suppose a fight is the customary way of settling such a dispute. However, I'm much to tired to fight you—I'd far rather conserve my energy for… _other_ uses. So how about we play morra to decide? Best two out of three?"

"Fine, okay," Dylas said, holding his hand to the ready. "Avani, can you call out the countdown?"

"All right. Ready? On the count of three. One… two… _three_!" she called, watching our hands.

I held up two fingers and called out five, while Dylas held up two and called out four, so Dylas won the first round. Again Avani counted to three, and this time I held up four fingers and called seven, while Dylas held up three and called five—I'd won the second round.

Yet again Avani counted to three, and this time I held up one finger and called five, hoping his simple pattern would hold true. He called three… and held up one. I'd lost the final round, meaning Dylas would be the first in Avani's bed that night. I didn't mind so _very_ much, although naturally I was disappointed. But to be honest, it probably mattered most to Dylas to be first, and so I accepted the armload of blankets and went up to her study. She said Dylas would be along when it was time to trade places, and I waved an acknowledgement before closing the door firmly behind me.

I took the opportunity to take a nap, resting and restoring my energy, as well as enjoying the oblivion sleep offered. While I understood Avani's desire to spend the night with both of her lovers, and I didn't begrudge Dylas his opportunity to be with her, at the same time, I didn't care to think about—let alone be sensible of—their activities.

A while later, I was awakened by a knock on the door. I sat up and stretched, noting that it was now fully dark outside, as Dylas opened the door and stepped in. I was immediately assailed by the strong scent of their lovemaking and instinctively wrinkled my nose. Dylas grinned at my reaction, knowing full well that the odor would be powerful indeed to my keen sense of smell. "I'd say sorry," he said, smugly, "but I'm really not. Your turn."

I climbed out of bed and stretched again. "Hey, no worries," I said, with a slightly malicious grin. "I'm just surprised at how quick you were. I thought I'd at least get a _little_ bit of a nap, but I'd only barely fallen asleep—I thought for_ sure_ it would take you longer than _that_!" Then leaving him fuming and sputtering behind me, I quickly stepped past him and shut the door.

Avani was in the kitchen when I came down the stairs to her room, so I followed her in there. She was standing at the sink in nothing but her robe, a washcloth in her hand, and she looked up and blushed when I stepped in. "Oh! Umm, just give me a minute, would you, Leo? I—it's too late to go to the baths, but I wanted to try to clean up as much as I could. I… I know how sensitive your sense of smell is, and…."

I walked up behind her and gave her a kiss. "Thank you, My Lady. That's exceptionally thoughtful of you. But don't worry yourself over it—I'm already adjusting to the scent, though I confess it's not my favorite."

She took a last few swipes of the cloth along her thighs, then grabbed a towel and dried herself. I turned her around and looked at her in the dim light of the single lamp she had lighted near the sink. I could feel her trembling, and she looked away, reluctant to meet my gaze. "Are you afraid?" I asked her in a sympathetic voice. She looked down at the floor and nodded, a little reluctantly. "It's all right, My Lady. You're about to face a powerful foe who has made up his mind—for reasons unknown to us—to do his best to destroy you and others like you. It's perfectly reasonable to be afraid, and no one will think the less of you for your fear."

She shook her head vigorously. "It… it's not that. I'm not afraid of dying, as long as I'm able to keep my promise and save Venti. I mean, I don't _want_ to die, but I'm not _afraid_ of it, either. It… it's…." she trailed off as she hesitated.

"What is it, My Lady? What _do_ you fear?" I lifted her chin and looked into her eyes.

She looked back at me for a long moment, then threw her arms around me. "I-I'm afraid of failing, of being too weak to save Venti after all. And I'm afraid of not being able to stop Ethelberd from slaughtering the Earthmates. And I'm afraid of losing everyone and everything I've come to love since I came to this town. I'm afraid of losing Dylas… and most of all, I'm afraid of losing _you_." She gave a ragged sob into my chest, and I wrapped my arms tightly around her, holding her closely.

After a minute, I pulled back and looked down at her tear-stained face. Lifting her in my arms, I carried her to her bed, giving her little kisses on her lips, her nose, her cheeks, her eyelids. I set her on the bed and sat next to her, then leaning down to her, I whispered, "My Lady—Avani, my lover—I can't remove your fears from you. But I _can_ at least offer you a distraction from them for a time."

She reached her arms up to me to draw me down in an urgent kiss. Her caresses were unfocused and desperate, as if wanting everything all at once. She kissed me all over, brushing her lips against my cheeks and forehead, tickling my ears with her hot breath, nibbling down my neck and chest as she tugged at my robe. I pulled back and smiled at her as I slipped my robe off, then helped her out of hers. As she lay naked on the bed in the amber glow of the lantern, I could see a glimmer of tears in her eyes. Gently, I wiped them away, then kissed her tenderly, whispering, "Forget about tomorrow, My Lady—the future is unknowable. But what _is_ certain is that tonight we have each other. And another thing that is certain is that I will stay with you as long as you are willing and I am able."

I stood and removed my boxers, then stretched out alongside her on the bed, caressing her cheek. She looked up at me, her eyes large and liquid in the dim light. "Leo… I-I want you to promise me something. Please?"

"What is it, My Lady? If I can, I will."

"I… Promise me that if things get bad—_really_ bad, I mean—that you'll grab Dylas and get out of there. Run, use your escape spell, do whatever you have to… but go, and… and _don't_ look back."

I sat up, startled by her request. "My Lady, how can I promise such a thing as to abandon you in your time of need? Am I less than a man?"

She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. "No, Leo, you are unquestionably a man, and a fine one at that. But tell me _honestly_—which of the three of us is the most powerful warrior? You know the answer as well as I do. So if things are going badly, it just makes sense for you and Dylas to get away while you can to warn the town. If it's bad enough, the people here may even need to evacuate, and they'll need all the help the two of you can give them." She looked back up at me, and reached up to caress my cheek. "I already made the same request of Dylas, but he's too stubborn to see sense. So… I'm counting on you—you're the only one I can depend on. _Please_, Leo—if it seems hopeless, or if I say to go, just… just _go_. Please? If not for you or for me, then for the town."

I had no words with which to answer her plea, so instead I leaned over and kissed her, a long kiss full of all the emotion I was unable to vocalize. She hesitated a moment, then I could feel her letting go—losing herself in the moment as she responded to my touch. She was the loveliest woman I'd ever known, and I kissed every inch of her creamy, soft skin, memorizing each curve and angle, tracing the myriad faint scars that decorated her limbs. My senses were filled with the mélange of scents that was her own particular perfume, the delightful fusion of salty and sweet and earthy scents and flavors, highlighted with the faint traces of floral soaps and bath oils.

Watching me with eyes dark with emotion and twining sensitive fingers through my hair, she moaned and whimpered tiny cries of pleasure at my caresses—a delightful composition for my ears alone. Taking my time and going slowly, I kissed down her neck to her jugular notch, pausing to suck gently at the sensitive skin there before moving across her shoulder, leaving a trail of kisses across her collarbone and down the soft skin of her arm, the inside of her elbow, and down to the palm of her hand. I kissed each finger of first one hand, then the other, before moving slowly back up her other arm and back to her jugular notch. From there I kissed down one side of her chest to her breast, stopping to nip and suck on the hard, pink tip of her nipple as she groaned and squirmed beneath my touch.

After a few moments, I continued on my path down her side and over to her belly, trailing kisses all around her navel and on down. At the green softness of her hair, I moved again to the side, leaving kisses down her thigh, along the back of her knee, and finally nibbling the arch of her foot before moving to her other foot. I moved back up the other leg until I again felt the tickle of her fine hair, then I stopped to lap the sour-sweet juices that were trickling down, tasting my way up to the small, hard nub. She cried out as I flicked my tongue over it, gently sucking and caressing her. I held her by her hips as she moaned and writhed, eagerly pressing against me as I explored her moistness until at last she arched her back and cried out my name, her breathing ragged as she shuddered and trembled in my hands.

I slowed down and gently caressed her a few more times with my tongue as her breathing slowed and she relaxed. Then I gently kissed my way up her belly, again teasing around her navel, until I reached her other breast. Caressing the one breast with my free hand, I cupped her other breast as I nipped gently at the nipple, feeling it harden as I sucked and swirled my tongue over and around it. Soon she began to moan and squirm again, and I kissed back up along her neck to her lips. Pressing my mouth firmly to hers, I kissed her ardently, caressing her soft skin, brushing the tips of my fingers over her body, feeling the taut muscles of her abdomen as I sensed the pressure again building deep within her as it was within me.

Sliding over so that I covered her body with my own, I kissed and nibbled at her neck, twining her fingers with mine as I slowly but firmly thrust deep within her, then again and again. She gasped, arching herself against me, wrapping her legs around me to pull us closer together as we mounted to the peak of our release, gasping each others names and clinging to one another as our mutual exaltation overwhelmed our senses.

Afterwards, she pulled back and looked me in the eyes searchingly as she reached up to caress the soft fur of my ears. "I love you, Leo. I… know you can't, or won't, reciprocate. But nevertheless, I do love you, and I want you to know it." I leaned down and brushed my lips lightly across hers, then whispered, "Some feelings, My Lady, are no less true for not having been named out loud." She smiled contentedly and sleepily, and nestling into my arms, her eyelids fluttered and drooped. Soon she was sound asleep.

Once I was certain she was deep in slumber, I carefully slid out from the sheets. Pulling my boxers back on, I quietly climbed the stairs to the study and opened the door. I slipped into the darkened room and closed the door behind me. As my improved eyesight quickly adjusted to darkness since my reawakening, I had no trouble discerning Dylas's sleeping form on the daybed. I gently shook him awake, then in a low voice, I said, "We're through. Do you want to join us, so you can spend the night asleep with her? I think she'd like that, or would if she was awake. Anyway, I think she'll be glad to have both of us there with her when she wakes in the morning."

Dylas sat up, sleepy and dazed as he shook the cobwebs from his head. He grunted, then looked up at me, bleary-eyed, and nodded. "Yeah. Okay. I don't think tomorrow's going to be as bad as she makes it out to be, but if it'll make her feel better to have us there with her…." Then he rose and followed me back downstairs, and we climbed into bed on either side of our lover, enfolding her in our embrace as she slept.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	40. Chapter 40

**AN:** Sorry it's a little short today! The story continues Monday—I hope you're enjoying it! Please let me know how you're liking it so far!

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><p>Taking a deep breath, Avani looked back at us. Dylas and I both nodded, and she resolutely turned and began to mount the bridge to the fourth and final island of the skyborne fortress. As we neared the end of the bridge, I readied my spear and shield. I heard the creaking of thick leather as Dylas flexed his hands within his gloves, and Avani pulled out her dual blades. At last the moment for the final confrontation had arrived.<p>

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><p>We had awakened early that morning—Avani, Dylas, and I—huddled in a mass together as if seeking comfort from disquieting dreams. After a light breakfast, we had donned our equipment and headed to the airship. To our surprise, the entire town was there, filling Airship Way as they came to see us off, knowing that the fate of the town we all loved would be decided that day.<p>

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><p>At the far end of an extensive vaulted chamber, the Emperor of Sechs stood with his back to us. Without turning, he gloated, "Avani, Earthmate of Selphia. At last you have arrived." Slowly he turned to face us, and there was madness in his eyes.<p>

"Enough of your scheming—give me back the rune spheres!" Avani stood before him, her pale green hair cascading over her shoulders, her long skirt fluttering in the light breeze, the diamonds in her armor glittering like dewdrops in the morning sun. She was proud and defiant and utterly beautiful.

"Calm yourself, Earthmate. Tell me, do you sense the power I hold? Do you tremble in fear before me? If so, I confess I had thought better of you."

"What are you talking about?" Avani asked, warily.

"The Earthmates—caretakers of the earth—those who bless the earth's runes and in turn are blessed by them. Once I planned a grand conquest of this land, but I was defeated by one of your kind. My plans, my beautiful plans—all my ambitions, annihilated by the power he commanded." Pacing back and forth from one side of the chamber to the other, he continued his tirade. "However, now I think I'm rather grateful to you fools—I may even respect you a little." Avani stood impassively, tensed and ready for action as she followed him with her eyes.

"You and your kind—you've managed to evolve into something above mere ordinary humans. I would even go so far as to say that you are only a step below the gods, perhaps even demigods. "

"What do you…?" she asked him, tersely, her eyes narrowing.

He continued as if she had not spoken. "So being an Earthmate yourself, I expect great things from you. I trust you will not disappoint me." He pulled a glowing blue stone from a pouch at his side. "Do you see this, Earthmate of Selphia? You want these rune stones back, don't you? Well, if you want them, come and take them from me with your own two hands!" With that, he dropped the stone back into the pouch and cast what appeared to be a power amplification spell of some sort.

Avani leapt up and flipped through the air, landing just to the side of the Emperor, as Dylas charged in with a flying kick. I kept back and cast a flame wheel at him—but when our attacks converged on their target, the Emperor was no longer there. In a barely-visible blur, he sped to the far side of the chamber, out of reach of our weapons and spells. Dylas spun around and quickly cast his electrical attack, but before Avani or I could regroup, he had already zipped to another part of the room, close to Avani. She whirled around and managed to get a few blows in with her swords before he vanished again, but it didn't even seem to slow him down. He reappeared next to Dylas and delivered a blast of energy that knocked him flat on his back. Before he could rise, Ethelberd was again gone.

He appeared in a far corner of the room, and this time held still as he focused his energy to cast a spell. The three of us took advantage of his momentary distraction to attack—Avani with her swords, Dylas with a series of rapid punches, and me with an earth wheel spell. Although he appeared to take some damage from our attacks, they were nevertheless not enough to break his concentration as he summoned a tornado. Avani, with her amazing reflexes, leapt out of the way of the whirlwind, but Dylas was flung across the room by the powerful wind. It began to head towards me, so I jumped out of the way, skidding to a stop and whirling around to look for Ethelberd.

As it happened, the Emperor appeared just a few paces from me as I searched for him. Spinning to face him, I slashed through the air with my powerful, light-imbued lance, slicing across his chest. Although a blow like that would easily have taken out a lesser monster and severely wounded a greater, it barely scratched him. Still, it was enough to stun him for just a brief moment as Avani cast a penetrate sonic spell three times in rapid succession, sending a total of nine wind blades slashing over and around him.

With a snarl, Ethelbert again darted to the far side of the room, casting a dark snake towards us. Dylas dove beneath the devouring spell, but Avani cast a prism spell—when the black sphere reached her, it clashed with the spinning globes of light energy as they canceled each other out.

While we were busy with the dark snake, the Emperor zipped across to the center of the room. Again concentrating his energy, he shouted out another incantation. A blue glow suffused him and spread outward, then exploded into a brilliant, searing light that filled the room. Avani managed to dodge out of the way into a nook in a corner of the room, evading the dreadful attack, but Dylas and I were both knocked flat. I felt an agonizing pain surging through me as the light intensified, draining me of all my energy and strength. I felt the room spinning all around me and my vision dimmed—then suddenly, as from far away, I heard Avani cast a healing spell, and a flood of energy coursed through me, reviving me. I struggled to my feet, seeing Dylas likewise rising a little distance from me. I had no idea what attack Ethelberd had used, but it was definitely one to avoid.

Avani cast another healing spell, then another, as Ethelberd regrouped. Apparently whatever spell he used left him temporarily incapacitated—useful to know, _if_ one could survive the spell in the first place. The three of us turned to face our opponent as he sneered at us from the center of the chamber.

"Not bad, Earthmate, not bad at all. But you'll have to try much harder than that if you wish to defeat me and reclaim the rune spheres!"

"Just shut up and give those spheres back already! They don't belong to you!" Dylas shouted with a black look at the Emperor.

Ethelberd turned to glance at him, scowling. "Enough, pony boy. You should learn to keep quiet when your betters are conversing!"

"_I am _not_ a fucking goddamned horse_!" Dylas roared, enraged, as he lunged at him.

"Dylas, _don't_!" Avani yelled in warning, but it was too late. The emperor focused his energy into another explosive spell, catching Dylas full on as he charged. Avani escaped the worst of it, but I wasn't able to get out of the way in time and took a lot of damage. Dylas, however, bore the brunt of the attack and was knocked unconscious, barely breathing as he dropped to the floor.

While the emperor cackled, recovering his energy for another attack, I staggered to Dylas's side. Avani quickly cast a dark snake at the Emperor, shouting to me, "Leo—take Dylas and go! Now!"

"Avani, no! I—"

"Just go _now_!" she bellowed. "You _have_ to warn the townsfolk! I'll hold him off as long as I can!"

I bowed my head, realizing the sense of it but torn between love and duty. Then I made up my mind, and lifting the unconscious Dylas in my arms, I cast escape, returning to town without so much as a backward glance… just as she had asked of me. And I hated myself for it.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	41. Chapter 41

**AN:** Here we go! I hope you enjoy today's chapter. I'd _love_ to hear from you!

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><p>Setting Dylas down just inside the city gates, I cast a healing spell on the both of us. Then I half-carried, half-dragged the semi-conscious man to the clinic. Bursting through the doors, I pushed him into Nancy's arms. "Here, please patch him up—then prepare yourselves to evacuate."<p>

"Oh my," she said, looking alarmed. "Is it that bad?"

"You've no idea just _how_ bad," I said as I turned and ran out the door.

Arthur was not in his offices, and I pounded my fist into the door jamb in frustration. Nor was he in the baths, so next I tried the castle, hoping that he might be found there.

When I pushed the doors to the main castle chamber—Venti's chamber—I stopped and stood stock still in surprise. Not only was Arthur there, but Venti was awake. Both turned and looked at me and immediately knew that all was not well.

"What is it, Leon? You look distraught," Arthur said, looking concerned.

"It—the fight's not going well. I… I honestly don't know if… if she's alive or dead by now. He's powerful—far more powerful than we ever dreamed. Dylas nearly died, and she ordered me to get him out of there and warn everyone in town."

"That pretentious, arrogant fool," Venti sighed. I looked from her to Arthur and back again—I'd been too agitated to ask what woke her. "Oh, this?" she said, divining my unspoken question. "Well, you recall that Doug managed to get a rune sphere from that foolish emperor?"

I nodded, and Arthur spoke up. "Just after the three of you left, the honor guard finally arrived, so we placed the sphere. Soon afterwards, Venti awoke. I'd just been filling her in when you arrived."

"Don't worry, Leon," Venti said softly, her bright eyes glimmering shades of blue and green and gold. "Avani has more strength to her than even _you_ can imagine."

She rose up onto her haunches, stretching her wings. "Arthur, will you please take a warrior up in the airship to attack the fortress from the sky? _Not_ you, Leon—you're injured and need to recover. Besides, I may have another need for you before the day is through. Why don't you take Doug? I think he would appreciate the opportunity for a little…revenge? Meanwhile, I _must_ eat something—it's been weeks since I've had a meal, and I feel a little weak. Then I will join you there."

"Yes, that sounds an excellent plan. Go get some rest, Leon," Arthur said as he set off to find Doug.

"I second that. You look, well, dreadful. Volkanon should be here momentarily with my meal. Do join me—you need to restore your energy, too."

"How can I possibly eat at a time like this? Venti, I—I _left_ her there. Left her behind to save my own hide. And I don't even know…."

"Stop being such a fool," Venti snapped. "You did exactly as she instructed. What do you think would have happened had you disobeyed? Without you and Dylas there, she can focus solely on her battle, without fear of injuring you two, and without needing to drain her energy to keep you alive. And we needed to know—_I_ needed to know—what was happening."

Her eyes softened again, and she said more kindly, "I know you're worried and upset. But as I said before, she has more strength than you realize. Although I was unable to restore her memory or to discern who she was or whence she came, I could sense that strength within her. Her spirit shines like a star in the blackest night—like a ray of sunshine in the deepest, darkest forest. Whatever her past, she is someone to be reckoned with. I fancy that upstart emperor will find that he has bitten off more than he can chew this time. Ahh, and speaking of biting and chewing, here comes Volkanon. Now sit with me, eat a little food, and try to regain your strength. As I said, I may have need of you—and the other Guardians—before we're done."

Though I realized the sense of all Venti said, and understood the need for us to take a moment to restore our strength, nevertheless I chafed inwardly at any and all delays in sending whatever aid possible to Avani's side. I reflected on the implications of that as I wolfed the food offered to me. The events of the past few days had made me realize just how much she'd come to mean to me. I knew that I loved her—I suppose I'd always known that, on some level, since I first saw her there in the tower. But the depth of my attachment to her caught me by surprise. It had crept up on me unawares, this love—and it was deeply disconcerting. I shouldn't love her—I _couldn't_ love her… yet, I did. I knew it was selfish of me. I could never marry her, and it was unfair to ask her to stay with me despite my lack of commitment. She deserved better, and I knew it.

But this was no time to be pondering such things. Venti had devoured her food hastily, too, and she was now ready to go to Avani's aid. Arthur and Doug had left while she was midway through her meal, so they would arrive first.

"Gather the rest of the Guardians here at my dais. Wait to hear from me—if I need you, I will call upon you. Yes, Dylas, too—if he is not yet recovered, heal him yourself. Volkanon will feed you if you need additional restoratives." She rose up on her haunches and spread her wings as I ducked out of the way. "Now it is time for us to deal with this crackpot once and for all!" And she launched herself into the air, soaring up through the open roof of her chamber and out of sight.

I hurried off, first to the clinic to see if Dylas was awake yet. I found him sitting in bed, looking thoroughly pissed off despite his obvious weakness. Nancy was trying to persuade him to drink some kind of broth or something while Dolce stood nearby, looking annoyed at his stubbornness.

He looked up as I walked in and scowled, then tried to rise. He was still too weak, though, and fell back on the bed, angrier than ever. "What the _hell_?" he demanded. "Why are we here? Where's Avani? No one will tell me anything!"

I sighed—he wasn't going to like this, but that was just too bad. "Avani was still fighting Ethelberd when I brought you here. As far as I know—and I sincerely _hope_—she's fighting him still."

"You _what_? What kind of idiot are you? How could you just run off and abandon her like that?" he shouted.

I stiffened—it didn't help to hear my own recriminations thrown back at me in his voice. "I did what she asked—what seemed best for everyone. Was I happy to leave her there to drag your sorry hide back here to get healed? Not at all. Did I want to stay? _Hell_, yes. But face it, we were just in her way—holding her back from fighting at her full strength. I did what had to be done. And that's why I'm here—there may yet be more work for us." Gesturing for Dolce to come nearer, I explained that Venti had gone to Avani's aid but had asked the four of us to wait at her dais in case she needed our assistance. Dolce nodded, and Pico offered to go find Amber, zipping out in her ghostly way as soon as I accepted.

Dylas was not yet recovered enough to stand, let alone walk. So with a brief apology to Nancy, I cast a few healing spells on him, until he seemed mostly recovered from his injuries. Then the three of us headed to the castle where we were joined by Amber and Pico. Volkanon brought us some food, to fortify us should we be needed… and we waited.

As we waited, Dylas sat next to me at the edge of Venti's dais, next to her perch. "Hey. Sorry about earlier. You were right. I… I _was_ pretty useless. Thanks for… for getting me out of there."

I nodded. "Yeah. Sure." I sighed and looked away. "You know… I _really_ didn't want to leave her. It just… seemed like the best thing to do. But I'm still not happy that I did it."

"Do... do you think she'll be okay?"

I looked over at him, seeing raw love and concern in his eyes. Because of his size and strength, I tended to lose sight of how young and inexperienced he was. "If anyone can get through this unscathed, it'll be her."

Before he could reply, I heard a faint voice speaking in my head—Venti's voice. Startled, I looked around, and from the looks on the other three Guardians, I could see that they had heard it as well. "Quickly, all of you—Avani needs your help!" the voice cried weakly. "Gather the townsfolk and go to the rune points. Channel all the hopes and prayers of the town through the rune points. They should reach her through my charm that she wears on her breast and help to strengthen her. It's our only hope—make haste!" Then silence.

We looked at one another for just a moment, then Dolce rose and ran to the door. "Well, you all heard her—let's get moving! I'll take Jones, Nancy, and Kiel." Then she was gone.

"I'll take Margaret and Porcoline," Dylas said, rising quickly.

"And I'll take Lumie!" Amber said.

"Okay, fine. Dylas, take Bado and Clorica, too, will you?" He nodded and ran off. "And Amber, please take Vishnal and Blossom. And take good care of Granny!" I called as she darted out the door, her colorful wings fluttering. Then I ran to the butlers' quarters in the castle.

I found Volkanon at his desk and quickly explained his mistress's request, then we tracked down Forte before heading to the inn to get Lin and Xiao. We left immediately as it was a bit of a journey to the tower of Leon Karnak—especially without the airship at our disposal. Upon our arrival at the tower, the five of us hastened up the series of stairs and terraces that led to the top of the tower. The exterior was eerily devoid of monsters, and I briefly wondered if they'd been drawn away by the battle in the fortress that hovered in the sky nearby. Whatever the reason, I was grateful to avoid further delay.

We reached the top of the tower and gathered around the focal point for the rune power there between the ancient kitsune statues that stood guard at the pinnacle. "All right, everyone," I said, closing my fan and rapping it against my shoulder. "Let's get this show on the road!"

Forte scowled at me. "This is _not_ a joke, Leon. Can't you be serious for _once_?"

I looked at her without smiling. "I assure you, I am completely serious. Never more so in my life." I turned to the others. "Venti has asked me and the other Guardians to focus rune energy through the four rune points to Avani via the charm she possesses. We need you, the people of Selphia, to focus, too—send her your prayers, your hopes, your dreams, your wishes, and they will give her strength. Give voice to your thoughts, which will give them form, then I will take those forms and channel them through me to her. Let's get going! Forte, you start." And I waited.

Forte blushed and shifted uncomfortably. After a brief pause, she spoke, looking at the ground to hide her discomfort. "Avani, I hope you can hear me. I remember when you first arrived in town, I offered to spar with you in order to train you in combat, because I sensed your potential. But you surpassed me in almost no time at all, in every way, and the teacher became the taught. Yet knowing my pride, you still asked _me_ to teach _you_, to spar with you, even when it was really the other way around. In this and a thousand other ways, you showed your kindness. And so I pray for strength for you, to deal mighty blows to your opponent and return safely to us." And she lifted her head proudly, almost defiantly, to look me in the eyes as she completed her prayer.

I nodded, feeling strength channeling from her through me and into the rune point as she spoke. Maintaining the flow, I said, "Volkanon, you're next."

Though I didn't turn to look at him, I could sense him straightening up as he spoke. "Miss Avani, when you arrived, it would have been easy for you to take advantage of the situation and pretend to be more than you were. Yet you were never anything but honest and never thought to use your circumstances to your advantage. And despite not knowing the people of Selphia, you stepped up and lent a hand wherever and whenever you were needed. No request was too small, no task too great. And so, showing your faithfulness in this and a thousand other ways, we all learned you were someone we could rely on. Now we depend upon you to save us all, and so I pray for courage for you, to boldly and unflinchingly face our enemy and return to us unharmed and victorious."

Courage poured forth from Volkanon's words and joined with Forte's strength as I said "Now you, Lin."

A rustle of silken fabric from behind me, then Lin spoke in her lilting voice. "Oh! Avani, I want you to come home safe and sound. I remember the first time that my husband came to visit after you arrived, and even though you didn't know who he was—even though he was no more than a stranger to you—you rescued him from the monsters that were threatening him and even helped him out with his business. In this and a thousand other ways, you showed your compassion. And so I pray for healing for you, to keep you safe and well as you fight for all of us and to allow you to return home to us."

Healing energy joined courage and strength, and as I focused on maintaining the flow through the rune point, I said, "Xiao, it's your turn."

Xiao stepped towards me, tripping and falling as she did so. I could hear her pick herself up and could almost feel the heat of her blush as she carefully approached me. "Oh, it seems I am clumsy even at a time like this, yes? Avani, can you hear me? I remember especially the first Beach Day after you arrived, when I was feeling sad after seeing how pretty my cute mama looked in her swimsuit. I didn't want to join everyone at the lake, yes? Do you remember? And then you smiled at me and told me that I looked very cute in my swimsuit, and you didn't even look at my mama like everyone else did. And I felt so much better, and I had a lot of fun that day at the lake with you and everyone else. Yes, yes! You gave me my joy back when I had lost it then and a thousand other times, and so now it seems I am praying for rune energy for you, to keep you going in your fight so that you can return home safely, so I can again smile for you."

The flow of rune energy, healing power, courage, and strength coursed through me as I channeled it through the rune point to Avani. I braced myself as I joined my voice to theirs. "My Lady, you came to rescue me, a total stranger, and risked your life to return me safely to the realm of the living. Once I had no hope, no future; you restored both to me in a thousand thousand ways. And so, My Lady, I add to the rest _my_ prayer. I pray for hope, that you may look danger and even death in the face and smile, knowing that all is not lost, and that you are not alone—not now, nor ever. I believe in whatever future you weave from our prayers, because I believe in _you_." Then in my thoughts, I added, "_Come home safely, Avani—_you_ are _my_ future_."

And I sent all our hopes to her, and I prayed that they reached her in time.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	42. Chapter 42

**AN:** This concludes the first part of this fanfiction. The next few chapters will be sort of an intermission or ligature, concluding the first part and setting up the second. Thanks for reading, I'd love to hear how you are liking it so far!

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><p>At the top of the tower Leon Karnak, I continued to focus on channeling energy through me to Avani long after I reached the point of collapse. Whenever I thought I couldn't maintain the flow one more minute, the thought of her fighting not only for her life but for <em>all<em> our lives gave me the strength to go on, first another minute and then yet another.

Finally, after some time, there was a change in the flow of energy through me. I don't know to describe it other than that there was a sudden _increase_ in the flow, as if to fill a void that hadn't been there moments before. Already debilitated by my efforts, the increased demand nearly brought me to my knees. Then, just as suddenly as it started, it ceased. The channels were closed; the energy that continued to flow from me for a few moments afterwards merely dissipated. I dropped down on my hands and knees, gasping for breath.

"What is it? What's happened?" Forte demanded anxiously as they all crowded around me.

Seeing my exhaustion, Volkanon pulled some dried fruit out of his pack and fed it to me. When I could stand again, I looked up towards the aerial fortress. "I… I don't know. Something suddenly drew a massive amount of energy from me, then it stopped as suddenly as it started and no more energy went through. I don't know what it signifies."

The others joined me looking skyward, and as we peered at the far-off fortress, my keen eyes caught a miniscule shape departing, soaring towards Selphia. Tiny as the figure was, I was able to discern Venti's form. However, I couldn't rejoice yet—it was impossible to tell at that distance if she was alone or if Avani was with her.

"It… it's Venti, flying towards the town. But I can't tell if Avani is with her or not—she's too far away!" I exclaimed in frustration as I stumbled towards the ladder. Volkanon grabbed my arm and forced another large portion of dried fruits into my hands, insisting I eat it before trying to walk. I bolted them and immediately felt somewhat revived. We all hurried back down the tower, keeping an eye out for the dragon's form in the sky.

Finally as we emerged from the barren no-man's lands around the tower into the lush greenness of the Selphia Plains, Venti soared overhead. Craning my neck, I felt relief wash over me, leaving me giddy—there on her back, clinging to her neck, was Avani, her hair rippling out behind her like a silky green banner. The others jumped and danced with glee, but all I could do was stand there, grinning like an idiot as I waved to her. When she glanced down and saw me, she raised her hand in a return salute—then she blew me a kiss, and I felt as though I'd melt from sheer relief and joy.

Although I was eager to return to town, we nevertheless went more slowly than when we'd left. I was still drained, and the others were tired, too, unused as they were to such activities. When we reached the town gate, Xiao ran on ahead, closely followed by Forte. I felt strangely nervous, though—relieved as I was that Avani appeared to have emerged victorious, and most importantly, alive… I wondered if she would resent that I fled the battle, even if I _was_ following her orders. It was irrational and ridiculous, and I _knew_ that it was. But I didn't seem to be able to help myself.

I trailed along behind the others, and by the time I reached the courtyard, Avani was deep in conversation with them, laughing and smiling her dazzling smile, her luminous green eyes shining. She looked over as I strolled up, and if I thought she was radiant before, it was as nothing compared to the way her face lit up when she saw me.

"Leo!" she cried, bounding over to me. "Are you okay? All the time I was fighting, I was so worried about you! I'm so glad to see you! And thank you, Leo—thank you for all your help. I could _never_ have beat him on my own." She took my hand and gave it a squeeze as she smiled up at me, and I smiled back at her, my fears calmed for the moment by her evident delight at our reunion.

Everyone started talking at once, and I laughed, saying, "Okay, okay! Everyone calm down!" Turning back to her, I said, "Thank _you_, My Lady. I'm glad that we chose you to bear our hopes."

Just then, Margaret and Arthur came hurrying up. "Oh, _there_ you are, Avani! And everyone else is with you—perfect!"

"What's up? Is anything wrong?" Avani asked, concern dimming her glow for a moment.

"No, no. Nothing of the sort," Arthur interjected. "Will you all please come to the restaurant?"

"Why? What's going on?" asked Forte and Xiao in unison.

Margaret laughed, and flinging her arms wide open, she exclaimed, "We're having a _party_! To celebrate Avani's victory and Venti's recovery, of course! So come on! Porco and Dylas are going all out, cooking up masses of special dishes for the occasion, and Porco's even breaking out some of his best wine! So hurry _up_, let's get the party started!"

Avani laughed, a sweet, light laugh like a cheerfully babbling brook. "Then Venti will be there, too, right?"

Shaking his head, Arthur replied, "No, sadly the Lady Ventuswill will not be joining us. She says she needs to rest, and besides, she points out that she wouldn't really fit in the restaurant."

I laughed at the thought of her squeezing into Porcoline's. "Well, that's true enough!" I smiled at Avani, adding, "Go on ahead, My Lady. We'll join you as soon as we've greeted Venti." She gave me a quick squeeze, then ran off with Margaret to her rooms to clean up and change out of her battle gear while Arthur returned to the restaurant. I crossed the courtyard and pushed open the doors to Venti's chamber, holding them open for the others as they filed in.

Once again I held back while each of the others greeted Venti in turn, chatting with her and expressing their joy at her recovery. As they took their leave of her, they hurried out the door, eager to join the festivities. Soon I was the only one left with her.

She turned her head to look at me, her eyes whirling slowly. "Leon. Thank you for all you have done, not just for me, but for Avani as well—though I am certain she will find her own way of expressing her gratitude."

I gave her a half smile and sauntered over to her. "I'd say you're welcome, but you know it's my duty as Dragon Priest to see to your well-being."

She snorted. "As if you're fooling anyone, anyway." Then in a softer voice, "Don't let your fears get the better of you, Leon. This is very unlike your normal, brash, overconfident self."

I shrugged one shoulder. "Perhaps. But I can't…." I trailed off, reluctant to give voice to my thoughts.

"You can't forgive yourself for what you persist in viewing as your abandonment, for not being able to give Avani what you feel she wants, needs, and deserves, and, perhaps most of all, for loving her. Isn't that right?"

My eyes opened wide. "H-how did you…?"

"When you channeled your hopes, your thoughts, and your prayers to Avani through my charm, I sensed all that lay within your mind and your heart. Don't forget that charm is a piece of _me_, and I am acutely aware of all that concerns it. You fear that she won't forgive you for leaving her behind. Isn't that so?"

I bent my head and slowly nodded. "I… I despise myself for abandoning her when she needed me. Even if she ordered me to leave, even if Dylas needed aid, even if the town needed to be warned… all these things may be true, but they don't excuse the fact that some part… some little, shameful, cowardly part deep inside me was _glad_ to leave—glad to get out of there and save my own worthless hide, even if it meant leaving her to fight on alone. And if _I_ can't forgive myself for that, how can I expect _her_ to forgive me?"

She slowly stretched out her wing, then gently brushed the tips of her flight feathers against my cheek, raising my face to hers as she looked with glimmering blue-green eyes into mine. "No, you're right. She will _never_ forgive you…" I hung my head again as shame and a sense of loss flooded through me. "…because to _her_, there's nothing _to_ forgive. She'd wonder at your feelings and would never be able to understand them. To her, it's very straightforward and simple. She asked—begged, even—you to do something, and you did it. It wouldn't matter to her that you were, on some small level, glad to get out of there, because she _knows_ that she can depend on you when it counts—that you'll do whatever needs to be done, even at personal risk. If she'd asked you to stay, or to return, she knows that you would have done so despite your fears. And _you_ know it, too."

She folded her wing again and slowly swung her tail side to side, her eyes half closed in thought. "I also saw _her_ heart—saw it _clearly_, for the first time. I won't tell you _what_ I saw there, because there is no need. You already know, don't you? Even if you won't admit it to yourself, let alone to anyone else, you _know_ what lies there, nestled like a precious jewel within her heart of hearts."

She sighed and looked sadly at me, her eyes becoming tinged with violet. "I know of your promise, Leon. And I say to you, a promise—no matter _how_ sincere—does not outlast the grave. When _she_ died, you were released from your promise."

I scowled and looked away again. "You think it's _only_ that vow that binds me? If it were that simple, there would be no problem."

She shifted in a manner suggestive of a shrug—if a dragon _could_ shrug—and said, "You're making things far more difficult than necessary." She lowered her head so that she lay with her snout nearly touching my chest. "You know how _you_ feel. You know how _she_ feels. Go to her, Leon—she's waiting for _you_." Then she lay her head down and closed her eyes; the interview was over.

I joined the party in the restaurant—the latest of the latecomers. I was gratified by the enthusiastic reception awaiting me when I walked through the door, particularly the way Avani leaped at me and flung her arms around my neck. There was drinking and feasting, music and dancing, laughter and storytelling until late into the night. Avani was kept busy dancing all night—every man in town danced at least one dance with her, and several danced far more. I was able to secure her as a partner on only three occasions, but I didn't mind—not _too_ much, anyway—as she seemed so happy.

Later, well into the night, I noticed her slipping silently out the door. I smiled to myself—I suspected that she wanted to go spend some time with Venti. Despite the dragon's frequent incapacitations, it was clear that the two had developed a very close bond. I turned away in order to avoid drawing attention to her departure, and in so doing, I saw that the other Guardians had noticed her, too. We gave each other knowing looks and nods and rejoined the festivities.

It was sometime after that when I felt a sudden… _void_ in my awareness—something missing that had been there for as long as I could remember. Alarmed, I looked around and saw that the other Guardians likewise were affected, and no one else. The four of us slipped away as unobtrusively as possible, and hurried to the castle.

"You felt it, too?"Dylas called as we rushed down Melody Street.

"We _all_ did, you dolt," Dolce snapped in reply. "That's why we're here." Amber fluttered her wings and cried anxious tears as we ran up the steps to the courtyard.

I barged into Venti's chamber and stopped short, the others falling in beside me. Next to the empty dais lay Avani, curled into a ball and sobbing as if her heart would break as she wailed, "Venti, you… you _dummy_! How… how could you ask me to _smile_ at a time like this?"

I knew then that Ventuswill, the Divine Wind—and our own dear friend—was gone.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	43. Chapter 43

**AN:** This is the beginning of the intermission or ligature portion of the story, which will continue for several more chapters before part 2 begins. Thanks for reading my fanfic! I love to hear from readers, either via reviews or PMs, so please let me know how you like it! :)

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><p>In the days that followed the Venti's passing, Avani sank into a deep depression. Not only had she lost her dear friend and mentor, but she also blamed herself for her death. The whole town mourned her loss, as was natural and fitting, and we four Guardians who had been her dear friends for so long even more so. But none grieved as deeply as Avani.<p>

The words of the townsfolk only added to her misery. Though kindly and well-meaning, they spoke of their loss without thought. Even Dolce and Amber, oblivious in their own grief, compounded hers by their words. Dylas and I were the only ones who saw how much she was hurting, but Dylas, who'd never had a way with words even in the best of times, possibly made her feel the worst of all.

After we found her collapsed on Venti's dais, wailing with grief, he and I took her to her room. There she had tearfully begged us to leave her alone, and so we respected her wishes—though I insisted she have _someone_ there with her. So I brought Baldur from his enclosure to stay by his mistress's side, and I also sent Sano and Uno to keep an unobtrusive eye on her, with instructions to notify me immediately if she had any need of me at any time. When we left, she was sitting on the floor before her fireplace, her arms around her wolf, sobbing into his thick, soft fur as he whined and whimpered, licking her and nudging her shoulder with his nose. Sano and Uno sat upright in the two chairs on either side of the fireplace, their tails curled around their paws as they kept their silent vigil.

The next day, Dylas and I met outside her door. She let us in, looking completely done in—as if she hadn't slept at all that night. She didn't say a word, just opened the door to let us in, then turned and shuffled slowly back to where Baldur lay curled before the fire. A quick check in with Sano confirmed that she had indeed spent a sleepless night. Dylas sighed as he looked down at her, then he knelt down next to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Listen," he said in a gentle voice, "I know it hurts. But we can't just keep on moping around forever, can we? You know Venti wouldn't have wanted that, especially from you. She always loved your smile, you know, same as the rest of us. So cheer up! Even if you can't smile a genuine smile now, just… fake it. Eventually it'll become real."

Although it wasn't terrible advice, it was poorly timed and clumsily delivered. She burst into passionate tears again, pushing his hands away as she buried her face in Baldur's fur. "Oh, just go away, Dylas—you don't _get_ it! You don't understand at _all_!" she cried, her voice muffled by her wolf's fur.

He rocked back on his heels, startled, then looked up at me. I just nodded, and he rose and left. At the door, he turned back and said, "I really _am_ sorry, Avani. We'll all miss her… but we miss your smile, too, you know." Then he left.

I went and sat on the floor next to her and just sat stroking her hair wordlessly, letting her have her cry. Once her crying finally abated, I continued stroking her hair, saying as gently as possible, "It's okay, My Lady. You've every right to cry. Take as long as you need. I know how much Venti meant to you, and how much you meant to her, as well. I think she thought more of you than anyone else in her whole life. I believe Dylas was right in that she wouldn't want you to grieve so deeply for her… but I think she'd understand, too—and I also think she'd be glad, in a way, to know how much you care. Don't worry about what others think or say or do—no one can tell you what you should or shouldn't feel. Just be yourself, and do things in your own time and your own way. And remember that your friends are here for you—that _I'm_ here for you."

She sat up, avoiding my gaze, and nodded as she scooted a little closer and leaned her head against my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze, then kissed the top of her head. After a few minutes, she began to droop, and soon she was fast asleep, still leaning against me. I waited until she was in a deep sleep, then I carefully slipped away and stood, then lifted her up and carried her to her bed. Setting her down gently, I pulled a blanket over her, drew her curtains, called Baldur over to lie on the floor next to her, and asked Sano and Uno to stay there. Then I quietly left to ask Volkanon to be sure she wasn't disturbed and to ask Vishnal and Clorica to see to her farm chores. After that, I quickly went to my rooms and picked up my translation work, then returned to her rooms to spend the day quietly reading and translating while keeping an eye on her as she slept.

After she awoke, I prepared some grilled shrimp for her and served it along with a slice of Volkanon's special chocolate cake that he'd brought for her earlier. She picked at her food, but she did at least eat a little of it. After that, she went to her storeroom, returning with her gear in her arms. She dropped it on the floor and looked at me. In a small voice, hoarse from crying, she said, "I'm going to go do some fighting." I set my book aside and stood, saying, "May I come with you, My Lady?" She hesitated, then nodded, and I fetched my gear.

When she donned her gear, I was surprised to see that she had neither her dual swords nor her longsword—only a pair of Dylas's old gloves, well-worn but still usable. "My Lady?" I said, looking at her questioningly as she slipped them on and tightened them—they were far too large for her petite hands and needed a significant adjustment to the laces just to keep them from sliding off.

She looked up at me, her expression flat and her eyes dull, and just shrugged. "I thought I'd branch out a little," was all the explanation she offered. She also went light on the armor, wearing only her new breastplate over her clothing. A few minutes later, we were heading to the airship.

I'd hoped that, given how lightly equipped she was and that she was learning a new fighting style, that she'd pick someplace relatively easy. So I felt uneasy when she asked the pilot to set a course for the floating fortress. Although soldiers had been dispatched to take control of the islands, they had not been very successful, and bands of monsters still roamed the platforms. These monsters were powerful, far more powerful than I felt was wise under the circumstances. Still, I held back, intending instead to provide all the backup I could for her. After all, I had my own shame still fresh in my mind at that time, too, leaving me feeling as though it wasn't my place to pick her fights, as well as semi-consciously hoping for the opportunity to expiate some of my guilt.

As a priest, I had heard my fair share of confessions and confidences and helped many a grieving soul. However, I had experienced very little in the way of grief _personally_, nor had I attended a loved one coping with such guilt. My personal experiences were of little use to me—only my knowledge of human nature was of any significant help. Some, I had learned, responded to grief with anger, others tried to numb it with alcohol or other substances. Still others turned from their sorrow by celebrating the life of those they had lost—especially with fond memories or with continuing some work or hobby that was important to them. And a common response to death was to reaffirm life—finding solace in the arms of another.

Avani fell into none of these groups. It appeared that she chose to deal with Venti's passage by grimly staring death in the face as much as possible—as if daring it to come and take her, too. She fought coldly, ruthlessly… and recklessly. Had she been alone, she no doubt would have been in sorry shape, if she survived at all. Nevertheless, I admired her skill—despite wearing so little armor and using unfamiliar, inferior weapons, she was like an angel of death herself, and she left a trail of devastation wherever she went.

This pattern continued for a few weeks. It took its toll on her—and on me, too, to be frank. She wanted nothing but to fight—she ate only when food was given to her, bathed only when I half-dragged her to the bathhouse, slept only when she was no longer able to stand. She allowed no one to come near her but me—not even Dylas. And while she accepted my presence, even in her bed, she turned away from even the faintest suggestion of intimacy, shrinking from my attempted kisses and embraces, brushing my hand aside if I reached out to her, turning her back to me as we lay in bed.

After three weeks, her appearance was haggard and thin, though more muscular due to her recent surfeit of combat. And while she no longer wept, she seemed almost devoid of emotion altogether, as if all sensibility had been completely drained from her and she was becoming something more mechanical than human. Clorica and Vishnal now did all her farm work for her, having been granted special permission to do so by Volkanon while Avani worked through her overwhelming grief. So she rose early, ate only if I placed food before her—and even then only lightly—suited up in little, or at times, even no gear, and headed out to fight for the day. She fought until she was on the verge of collapse, stopping to rest or eat only when I insisted upon it.

Due to her affection for us, Lin kindly gave me special permission to use the baths any hour of the day for the time, so when we returned to town, I'd walk her to her rooms to drop off our equipment and get clean clothing—often just our pajamas and robes if the weather was warm and dry, since by that time everyone else was already asleep anyway—then I'd lead her off to the baths. At first, I just left her to her own devices, but I quickly discovered that she didn't really bathe, then. At most, she'd give her hair a quick rinse, perhaps splash her face with water. So, since there was no chance of interruption so late in the night, I began bringing her into the men's baths with me, so that I could be sure she washed properly and had a soak to ease her aching muscles. She tolerated my assistance, but neither did she request it.

Afterwards, I would tuck her into bed and then lay staring into the darkness, still and silent by her side, wondering how in the name of the Native Dragons I was going to help her pull through this. My own former worries and fears about the final battle against Ethelberd—and how I'd taken Dylas and fled, leaving her to face him alone—had long since receded in the face of a graver concern.

Finally, as the one-month anniversary of Ethelberd's defeat and Venti's death approached, I decided that things couldn't go on like that much longer. Not only was I worried sick about Avani, but Dylas and all the other townsfolk were deeply concerned, too. They had realized, after a week or so, that their wistful remarks about Venti were, to Avani, as a twist of the knife blade in her heart, and so they had ceased and instead attempted to cheer her. But again, few comprehended the depth of the bond between the two, and even if their words caused less pain, they also brought no comfort. So with the help of the townspeople, I devised a plan.

On the day of the anniversary of both her triumph and her loss, I refused to allow her to leave town, as had become customary for her. I reminded her that the butlers had been doing all her work for her for a month, but that they were unable to tend to things as usual on that day, so she would have to do her work herself. I pulled her out to her fields, with only slight resistance on her part, and I walked her through her chores. She had all but forgotten what to do, and so she was slow and clumsy at first. But once again her limbs recalled what her mind had forgotten, and by the time she reached the last of her fields, she was moving with greater ease and efficiency—if still below her former high standard.

Next, I walked her through her barns. She had expanded her first barn to its maximum size of five rooms holding a total of twenty monsters, and she had a second barn with another two rooms, as well—one of which was full, though the other held only two monsters. I handed her grooming brush to her and pushed her towards her eager, gently woolies as they bleated and crowded in close to her, ecstatic to see her after so long an absence. I continued on with her, walking her through each room and waiting patiently as she groomed each creature. At first she only brushed them—a brief, bare-bones grooming. By the third room, she was speaking a few words to each monster as she groomed it, and before she reached Baldur's room, which he now shared with a huge, proud, golden hunter wolf named Fenrir, she was not merely talking to each as she groomed them, but petting them as well.

It was when she beheld Baldur that things really got through to her—he was so utterly ecstatic to see her, whining and quivering as his tail thumped the ground hard enough to create a small whirlwind behind him. He hadn't seen her since that first night when Venti died, and he'd missed her sorely. He was her especial, adored pet, and in some small way, she was to the intelligent beast what Venti had been to her—a mentor, a companion, and a beloved friend.

When she saw him standing before her, so unequivocally overjoyed to see her, without a single speck of reproach or hurt in his adoring cobalt eyes, she suddenly recalled how long she'd neglected him—neglected everything and everyone—and broke down into tears as she threw her arms around his neck and, for the first time in nearly three weeks, wept. Not the heartbroken, abandoned sobbing that had racked her night and day for the first few days, but cleansing, healing tears. I felt then that all would be well… but I had to make certain.

Therefore, after her chores were done, I dragged her off to the baths for a long soak. I couldn't help her at that hour, of course, as there were other patrons coming and going. But I asked Xiao to keep an eye on her and help her if she needed it—and to be sure she got _really_ clean. It turned out that she did fine on her own this time, and on the way back to her rooms afterwards, she even shyly took my hand and leaned slightly against my arm as we walked. I felt my heart leap into my throat, but I only smiled cheerfully at her as we turned down the steps to her gardens.

In her rooms, I selected an outfit for her that I knew she especially liked and that was flattering on her—a sundress in a pretty lilac floral print that brought out the soft green of her eyes. The style was very forgiving to her altered appearance—her sinewy limbs and gaunt figure were softened by the gentle, clingy curves of the gown. I then fetched Clorica, who happily combed her still-damp hair and braided it into an elaborate multi-strand braid interwoven with fresh summer blooms. When she was done, she departed with a cheerful wave and acknowledgement of Avani's timid thanks. I handed some heavy shoes to her, and was delighted when she gave me a mildly reproachful look and put them back, picking up a pair of light sandals instead. It was good to see her show some interest in herself again.

"Well, then, My Lady. I think it's high time I treat you to lunch. How long has it been since we've been on a date? Far too long, anyway. So let's get a move on—the lunch rush should be starting shortly." She looked surprised, not to mention hesitant, but after a pause, she nodded agreement. She had spoken hardly a word, other than while grooming her beasts, but I didn't mind. She was coming out of her shell again at long last, and that was all that mattered.

We arrived at the restaurant, and I opened the door and hurried her on in. Once inside, she stopped stock still, staring. The entire town was there, cheering and exclaiming in joy at her arrival. Tables were laden with food and drink, and two massive cakes were displayed at the front counter: one decorated to depict a triumphant Avani, the other with Venti's image. Since her feet appeared to have rooted to the ground, the people of Selphia instead came to her, each hugging her, expressing their gratitude for her victory, and remembering some little anecdote or other about her as well as about Venti. She stood motionless, returning hugs and listening as if on auto-pilot.

Dylas waited until last. His hug was longer and more heart-felt than any of the others, and there were tears in his eyes as he spoke to her. He leaned down to give her a little kiss, and for once, she didn't turn her back to him or push him away. When he left, she turned to look at me, and tears shone in her eyes, too, as they reflected pain and grief and joy and gratitude all at once. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words caught in her throat, and she turned and bolted through the door.

I'd suspected that would happen, and so I'd warned Margaret and Dylas of the possibility in advance while we planned this event. I sped after her as she fled towards her room, taking the longer route through town in her heedless flight. Back in her rooms, she turned to me and threw her arms around my neck, sobbing. I led her to her sofa and sat down with her, letting her cry. Once she had quieted a little, I explained that everyone had wanted to have a celebration for her as well as a memorial of sorts for Venti. I told her how everyone had been so worried for her—how deeply everyone cared for her and wanted her to be happy again.

She shook her head as she burrowed against my chest. "No… no, you don't understand. It's all my fault—I couldn't save her. I tried—I tried so _hard_, Leo. But my best… my best wasn't good enough. Even with everyone's help, I _still_ couldn't save her. She's gone, and it's _my_ fault she's gone, and everyone blames me for it. I _know_ they do—I heard the things they said afterwards."

I cradled her face in my hands and looked into her eyes. "No, My Lady. You heard the _words_, but the _meanings_ escaped you. No one—not one single person—blames you for Venti's death. Look at me, dear heart—I speak to you now not as your friend, though I am that, nor as your lover, though I am most certainly that as well. I speak to you now as a priest—Venti's priest, at that. Listen to me. Venti did _exactly_ as she wanted to do. She was fully aware of the risk she took, but she chose to take it anyway. Not because she felt compelled, not even just to save you—though for that, too. She did it because it was what she _wanted_ to do—because she was tired of sitting by and letting everyone do things for her, as she had done all her life. Because she wanted to know the exhilaration of risking everything for those she loved—for _all_ of us—even if it cost her greatly. She had tired of the safe, sheltered life she'd always led. You aren't responsible for her death, you're responsible for the one chance of living that she was able to reach out and grasp. You didn't _kill_ her—you set her _free_."

She broke down then, much as she had that morning when she saw Baldur. I sat and stroked her hair and her cheek and caressed her back as she sobbed. When her weeping subsided, I leaned down and very gently kissed her. Somewhat to my surprise, she responded hungrily—finally awakening in my arms after so many weeks. And so we joined in a celebration and affirmation of both life and living in the time-honored fashion, embraced in each other's arms.

It was more than two hours later that we rejoined the party, and when we walked in, I could see relief in everyone's eyes as they turned to us and beheld the change that short space of time had wrought in her. This time, she went and greeted each villager in person, mingling and laughing as of old, and again her eyes sparkled—though there were new traces of both wisdom and pain contained within their celadon depths—and again her smile dazzled—though there was now a hint of bittersweetness in the corners of her mouth. And when she laughed, her laugh was no longer as the tinkling of a carefree, babbling brook, but more the melodious murmuring of a river that has suffered through the flood season and prevailed. Like such a river, Avani was a survivor—and I knew now that she was going to be just fine.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	44. Chapter 44

**AN:** This chapter and the next few are all based on the event "A Letter From the Past". I've tried to more or less follow it while fleshing it out a bit more. I hope you enjoy reading, please let me know how you like it!

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><p>I hadn't had much time to ponder my own emotional conflict, as it had taken a back seat to Avani's crisis. But soon after the night of the party, after things had more or less returned to normal, I found myself thinking about Avani even more than usual, and recalling my last conversation with Venti. And… thinking of Maria, which inevitably led to guilt and back to thoughts of Avani. I was trapped in a vicious circle.<p>

Meanwhile, I noticed that Avani had been spending less and less time with Dylas. One day, I finally commented on it. "My Lady, hasn't it been a while since you last spent some, ahh, 'quality time' with Dylas? Or have I just been particularly unobservant recently?" I asked her as we sat reading one summer evening.

She blushed a little, then shrugged . "I highly doubt that you've ever been unobservant in your life, Leo. But yes… you're right. When I… when I was going through all that depression and self-recrimination after Venti… after she passed on, I pretty much stopped seeing him then. I couldn't stand to have _anyone_ near me during that time, except you—I felt like you were the only one who understood how I was feeling at all. And even though I knew Dylas _meant_ well… like everyone else, he only made things worse. So I avoided him. And somehow… somehow after things got better, I found I just hadn't really missed him. So… a couple of weeks ago I had a talk with him and told him that it was over between us. I felt badly—really, I did—because I _do_ love him. I just… I don't love him _that_ way anymore. I guess I just fell out of love with him."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "I must have been unusually obtuse if I failed to notice _that_—I'm sure he couldn't have hidden his feelings well. He never does."

She sighed. "No, he didn't take it well. He was deeply hurt. Afterwards, he just… vanished for a few days. I suspect he returned to the ruins of the old water shrine to the east, where I rescued him. When he came back to town, he had himself more or less under control, but he still looks so… _wounded_. But there was no use in pretending, and I've always tried my best to be honest with both of you. Hopefully he'll get over me quickly and move on. He's got his faults, but he's more like a diamond in the rough, I believe—and I think one day he'll make _someone_ very happy. It just won't be me."

I thought about that for a minute. The significance of her breaking things off with Dylas yet remaining with me was not entirely lost on me, and I recalled Venti's comment about what lay deep within Avani's heart. And I must admit, I felt more than a little panicked at the prospect. While she'd had two lovers, I had been able to convince myself that she wasn't too serious about me, and that one day she would ride off into the sunset at another man's side—leaving me alone once again. But now that I was her only lover—the sole keeper of her heart—everything was different. And that scared me, because I wasn't fit to be the guardian of _anyone's_ happiness.

The next morning, after my bath, I asked Lin if she'd be so kind as to pack a picnic lunch for two for me. She seemed surprised by my request, but she didn't ask any questions as she assembled my basket. I had decided I needed to step back a little and think… and I wanted to think things through where it all started—and with whom it all started.

An hour later, I was seated on the ground before the sealed entrance to the ancient tower of Leon Karnak—or as it would be styled in the modern tongue, "Leon's Durance", so named as it was used to contain my Guardian form. The original tower itself was far more ancient, but it had lost all significance and identity by my time. The Earthmates, sensing that it was placed atop a wellspring of rune power, had renovated it for use as my prison.

I laid out the picnic and sat facing the tower's great door, eating as I thought. "Maria," I said after some time had passed, "I don't know if you can somehow hear me from wherever you are, but… I want to apologize for causing you so much pain so long ago. I was… selfish. I only wanted to stop you from crying and to see you smile, I didn't think about what I was doing or saying. That was wrong of me. I shouldn't have tried to change you.

"Years later when I became a Guardian… it was only then that I realized… realized how much my promise meant to you, how seriously you had taken it. By then it was too late, and so I left you on your own. That, too was wrong.

"So I swore that, having broken my promise to you, I would never make such a promise to any other—that I would live out my days alone. But then…."

I hesitated, and as I hesitated, suddenly I heard Avani's voice hailing me. I jumped up and looked down the slope, and there she was, striding briskly up the path towards me, the wind playing through her long locks as she approached. Her eyes sparkled in the brilliant sunshine, and she smiled her dazzling smile for me.

"My Lady?" I called to her. "What is it? Why have you come here?"

"Oh, well… you see, Kiel was looking for you. He… he has some papers he'd like you to translate for him as soon as you can. I brought them with me…." She pulled out a couple pages of old script and handed them to me. I looked at her as I took them, and thought she looked anxious.

"Thank you, My Lady. I'll look at them and talk to Kiel later. Is… there anything else? You look as though you have something on your mind."

"Well, I… I just wondered…."

"Yes, My Lady?"

She turned bright red and looked away. Seeing my picnic on the ground nearby, she stared at it for a moment. "I… wondered who… why a picnic for _two_? I mean," she added hastily, "Lin and Xiao both assumed I was accompanying you, so…."

I smiled at her. "Is that all?" She nodded. I caressed her cheek, then tilted her face up to look into her eyes. "There's no one. I…." I released her and sighed. "I just wanted to pretend that there was."

"Oh?" She looked confused, and bit her lip as she hesitated for moment. "Why… here particularly?"

I turned and led her to the entrance. "Take a look at this, My Lady."

Stepping closer, she looked up at the great door. "Wow… there's so many names carved here!"

"Take a look up there, way at the top—those two names there."

"They… they're written in another language. I can't read them…. What do they say?"

"That one on the left says 'Leon'." She turned to look at me in surprise. "And that one to the right says 'Maria'."

"Maria?"

"Yes." I sighed again. "She passed away centuries ago, of course. We were friends from an early age, growing up together. I was a few years older than her, and I always thought of her almost as a little sister—annoying but adorable. I used to look out for her, just like a big brother, and she'd follow me all over, just like a baby sister. I was probably the only one that thought she was adorable though… she was something of a crybaby, and most people found her irritating."

"Yes?" Avani said, encouragingly, as she looked back up at our names carved near the top of the door.

"Then one day, she was crying over some trivial matter—another child picking on her, probably, or maybe she'd been scolded for something or another. I don't really recall why she started crying, but I just couldn't get her to stop. So finally… I told her that if she would only stop crying, I'd give her whatever she wanted.

"So she stopped and looked up at me and said, 'Really? Whatever I want? Then, when we grow up, will you marry me?'" Avani quickly turned to look at me, startled. "Well, I was just a kid, so I said 'Sure, I'll marry you. Just stop crying!' Then as a reminder of that promise, we carved our names here, using the old language we'd just recently discovered—a sort of a secret code to us.

"Pretty silly, wasn't it? I didn't think much about it at the time—it was just a kid thing to me, and I soon forgot. But she… she never cried again after that. Not when I teased her, not when she was sad, not even when she was injured. Never a tear did she shed.

"She didn't even cry the day I became a Guardian. Everyone came to say farewell to me—my friends, my family, my fellow priests and priestesses—everyone in the area was there. And there she stood all alone near the back, behind all my family and friends, looking as though she would burst into tears at any moment. She just… _looked_ at me. And that—that's when I realized… that silly promise I'd made to her years before… she took it _seriously_. She believed in it—believed in _me_."

I sat down and leaned my head against the door. "I… I'm such an idiot. That sweet child, whom I thought of as nothing more than a little sister… was in love with me, had spent her whole life trying to live up to her part of the promise, trusting that I'd follow through with mine." I closed my eyes, remembering the look in her eyes that day. "That's the last thing I remember, you know—before being sealed. Her eyes, full of unshed tears." Avani sat down next to me and put her hands on my arm. I opened my eyes again and looked at her, unspoken apology and regret in my eyes. "Anyway, that's why I swore I'd never marry. It… it seemed too cruel, to just go blithely on with my life without her. I just can't… I _have_ to keep my word, even though I know it won't change anything."

I stood again, and held out a hand to help her to her feet. She looked thoughtful and abashed. "I'm sorry I had to tell you all this. Are… you jealous?"

She turned her sea-green eyes to me, then blushed and looked away. "P-please don't ask me that, Leo."

I smiled at her. "As you wish, My Lady. You really _are_ too adorable—but I suppose this isn't really the time for teasing you." I looked up at our names again. "You know… as much as the memory hurts, it's still precious to me. I suppose that's why I wanted you to know. I… wouldn't want to forget her. I was the one that stole her tears—the one that abandoned her." I reached up and gently ran my fingertips over the carven words. "I'm so sorry, Maria," I whispered. "Sorry I left you all alone, and sorry I broke my promise to you."

I stepped back and looked at Avani, who was watching me apprehensively. "Tell me, My Lady… do you regret your decision? Do you wish you'd never become involved with me? After learning about my past—about Maria—can you still look me in the eyes and honestly say that you love me?"

She took my hands in hers, and looking me straight in the eyes, her gaze unblinking and unwavering, she said, "Yes, Leo. I do love you. Of course I do—nothing could change that."

I felt my cheeks flush at her frank words and gaze. "A-anyway, I hadn't actually planned to tell you—or anyone—about her. I thought I'd just keep her a secret and bear the burden alone. But then when I saw you here, I felt I just had to share that part of me with you, even if it doesn't change anything—even if it doesn't make any difference."

She squeezed my hands, saying, "Oh, but it does, Leo." I looked at her in surprise. "You have a past that I know nothing about—that's true of everyone, of course. I mean, no one knows _everything_ about anyone else. But the fact that your past pains me, that it hurts my heart, shows me how much I've come to love you. I don't think I'd even realized just how much until I head your story, so that's one thing that knowing about Maria has changed."

"Are you serious? Do you… do you really mean that?" I said, feeling both elated and fearful.

"Yes, without a doubt—I love you with all my heart and soul, with every fiber of my being." I must have looked uncertain, because she smiled reassuringly at me as she continued. "Love can come in as many shapes and sizes as there are people to love and be loved. Each and every love is unique. And love can bring as much heartache and pain as it does joy and pleasure, because only when you love someone do you open yourself up completely—lay bare your heart to another. But the important thing is, whatever it might bring, for good or for ill—I love you. It's as simple as that."

I smiled and ruffled her hair. "You… make quite a case, My Lady. I must say, it's always a joy to spend time with you. I've learned a lot about these modern times from you—for example, that women now are far more aggressive than women in my day, and that no matter what the mood, there's never a mood when saying something embarrassing becomes less embarrassing." She blushed, and I went on. "And also… how very hard it is that I can't get any closer to you."

She looked dismayed at that and quickly looked away—but not quickly enough that I didn't see the sorrow and hurt in her eyes. I took a deep breath and let go of her hands as I looked at the door to the tower. "I… think I'm going to stay here for a while and… and talk to Maria. After all, we have a lot of catching up to do."

I looked back at her, and she gave me a hesitant smile. "Okay, Leo. I'll see you later." Then she was gone, scrambling swiftly back down the rocky path.

After she left, I leaned against the tower door, thinking back over all that we'd said—and hadn't said. Then I suddenly remembered the papers she'd brought me, and sat by the remains of my picnic, where I'd set them. Looking them over, I was astounded… the words were very familiar, and I wondered briefly where and how Kiel had found them. But I found I really wasn't able to focus on translating the words, as much as I wanted to. I kept going back to Avani's words to me….

"'I love you with all my heart and soul, with every fiber of my being,' she says," I thought out loud. "And… I want so much to get closer—to love her back with my whole heart, and to truly be with her. But… how could I? How could I be so callous to Maria, after all the pain I've already caused her? And yet… and yet…." Once again, I found myself torn between duty and desire, and my soul was tormented.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	45. Chapter 45

**AN:** Another chapter based on the event "A Letter From the Past." I hope you enjoy reading it, please let me know what you think!

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><p>I returned to town that evening and headed to Avani's rooms in the castle. I knew what I needed to do, though I was deeply grieved at the prospect. She was there, sitting with a book held loosely in her hand as she waited for me to return, and she eagerly jumped up when I walked in.<p>

"Oh, Leo! There you are! I was starting to worry just an eensy little bit," she exclaimed as she threw her arms around my neck.

I gave her a kiss, then stepped back. "I… I'm sorry, My Lady. I'm going to be returning to my room at the inn for the time being." She looked searchingly into my eyes, baffled and hurt. I swallowed hard—this was even more difficult than I'd imagined. Hastily, I gave her my prepared excuse. "I have some work that Arthur wants done as quickly as possible, so you see, I need to be in a place where I can concentrate. The castle tends to be rather… bustling—butlers and visitors and so on coming and going all day. So…."

She nodded, accepting my excuse without question, though whether she saw through it or not, I could not tell. She smiled weakly at me, saying, "Then I hope you are able to finish it quickly and return to me. I'll… I'll miss you, Leo." Then she turned and fled out her back door, leaving me feeling more torn and guilty than ever.

I had quite an accumulation of my property there in her suite—clothing, books, scrolls, scribing materials, and an assortment of odds and ends that I'd collected on various adventures since I'd more or less taken up residence in the castle. Even the foxes had moved in, sleeping in the study when the daybed was not needed for a guest, and on the sofa or the chairs in the main chamber when it was. They had even become friendly with Baldur, after some initial hostility on his part and caution on theirs. In fact, it wasn't until I attempted to disentangle myself from Avani's home that I realized just how deeply intertwined our lives had become… nor had I quite realized how painful that separation would be until the moment arrived.

I spent the rest of the evening alone in my room at the inn, lost in thoughts both old and new, as my foxes lay curled against me. They had been reproachful at first when I told them we were returning to the inn, at least for a while, but they appeared to have finished with their recriminations and were content to leave me to my own, which more than sufficed.

Early the next morning, I started to work on translating the pages Kiel had left with me. However, by the time I was halfway through the first page, I realized why it had seemed so very familiar at first glance yesterday: it was _my_ story—mine and Maria's. I also realized that if I continued on, I might at last find out just what had become of her after I became a Guardian. And the thought of that paralyzed me. I leaned back, staring in dismay at the pages before me. Then I quickly gathered them up and hurried to Kiel's house.

When he opened the door to me, still in his pyjamas and looking drowsy, I hastily pushed the papers into his hands. "I'm sorry, Kiel. I… I can't read any more. Please take them." Then I turned and left as hastily as I'd arrived, fleeing to the solitude of my room. As terrible as the uncertainty was… it was far better to not know and so yet be able to imagine a happy life for her, than to have my fears that she had lived and died in misery confirmed.

Arthur stopped by shortly after I returned the pages to Kiel to inquire how my work progressed. Sitting at my desk with my head in my hands, I didn't even look up as I said, "I'm sorry, Arthur. I… need to take a break from this for a while."

There was a pause, then he said, slowly, "Well, Leon, if you feel you need to stop for now, then so be it. I must say it's most unlike you… so I assume that you have your reasons. Let me know when you feel able to pick up your work again, will you?"

I nodded, and he left, closing the door gently behind him. I heard his footsteps fading away down the stairs, then a short while later, another set of footsteps treading up them. Soon there was a knock on my door, and Avani stepped in.

"Leo?" she asked, sounding concerned. "I just talked to Arthur. Is… everything all right? Is it something to do with the translation?" I just sat there, still holding my head in silence, unable to answer. "Was… was it Maria who…?"

I looked up then, my eyes opening wide in surprise. "Did you… read it?" She nodded, and I gave her a half smile. She always had been something of a busybody, so I shouldn't have been at all surprised that she'd sussed it out. "You're a clever little thing, you know that? But yes, you're probably right. It most likely was written by Maria—no one else knew about our promise, and the odds of someone else having the exact same story are, well… slim, to say the least."

I sighed and leaned back, closing my eyes. "Anyway, the second page appears to be a continuation of the first. So if I were to read it… I might find out what happened to Maria. And that thought terrified me. I mean, what if her whole life was ruined because of that foolish promise? What if she died alone and miserable? I don't know if I could bear it. The look in her eyes when I left—what if she lived out the rest of her days suffering like that? Just the thought of it chills me to the bone. And if she did… if she _did_ suffer all her life because of me… then how could I possibly live a happy life now, without her, knowing what I did to her?"

I took a deep breath and stood up. I took her hand and looked into her bewildered eyes. "So I… I've decided that I have to suppress my feelings for you. I can't do it to her—I can't let myself be happy if she herself led a joyless existence." I looked away, unable to bear the sight of the tears in her eyes. "But… it's so hard to hold fast to my resolve when I'm with you. It's unbearable—I want to hold you, to touch you…. I want so much to be with you, yet I also want to abide by my promise, at least to the best of my abilities. I'm torn, as if I were at war with myself—and there is no end in sight, neither relief nor succor to be had. I need some time, My Lady, to work things out in my head—to try to come to some resolution. So… will you leave me, please, at least for a while?"

Then I turned away from the pain in her eyes and slumped into my chair, again burying my head in my hands. After a few moments, she kissed me softly on top of my head between my drooping ears, then she left quietly, without saying a word, closing the door behind her.

Xiao and Lin attempted to bring me meals a few times, but I turned them away—I had no interest in food. I spent a sleepless night, tossing and turning to such an extent that even my foxes soon became fed up and retired to the floor—preferring even that to trying to sleep beside my restless form.

The next morning, Avani again came to my door, knocking and entering. I raised my head to look at her tiredly from where I sat on the edge of my bed. "Please excuse me, My Lady. Will you please leave me?" I said, then hung my head and closed my eyes, waiting to hear her footsteps as she departed.

However, there was no sound of her retreating, and after a pause, she gently but firmly said, "No." I looked up at her, stunned by her unexpected refusal. "How could I leave you at a time like this—how could I just walk away and leave you alone, sitting there with that look on your face? When someone I love is hurting, I want to _help_ them. I could _never_ abandon them and leave them to suffer. When I… when I was hurting so much after Venti died, you never left my side. Even when I didn't exactly welcome you or even sometimes ignored you, even when I wasn't capable of taking care of myself, even though all I wanted to do was to fight and fight and fight, halfway hoping that death would overtake me…. No matter what, you stuck with me. Why would you think I wouldn't want to do the same for you?

"I know I'm not Maria. I never knew her, and I don't know what she was like—what she thought or felt. But… if she loved you as I do, maybe she thought some of the same things I'm thinking now. Maybe, like me, she'd have wanted to be right here with you, thinking things through with you, trying to figure stuff out and getting confused along with you, right by your side. I'll _never_ be her—I'll never think like her or act like her. And maybe I can't really do all that much… but I want to try to help you in my own way—to be here for you and to be with you."

She looked into my eyes for a moment, her brow furrowed in concern. "A-am I… am I butting in too much?"

I looked at her contemplatively. "Yeah… you are." She bit her lip and looked down at the floor. "But… I like it. Knowing how much you care, knowing I'm not alone… it gives me strength." She looked up again in surprise. "Tell me, My Lady, what is sweetest to your ears? To return home and say to one who waits for you, 'I'm home,' or to wait at home for someone to return and say to him, 'Welcome home'?"

With a baffled look, she said, "What does…"

"Just humor me," I interrupted.

She thought for a moment. "Both are nice, but I think I prefer coming home to find someone waiting for me to waiting at home for someone to arrive—I'm not really one to just wait patiently. So I'll go with 'I'm back'. There's just something about being welcomed home, rather than coming back to a cold, dark, empty room—it's… it's nice."

I nodded and smiled at her. "I had a feeling that would be your choice. You really aren't the sort to just sit around and wait for something to happen—you go out and _make_ things happen. Fine, then. When all this is through… let's return to the tower together. And when we do, you're going to make me tell you everything—no more hiding my feelings. I promise, My Lady."

Her eyes lit up. "Then…. Okay, it's a deal." And she smiled her beautiful smile for me.

I rose and tucked her hand into my arm. "Well, then. I think first I need to go see Kiel about those pages. It's time I finish that translation."

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	46. Chapter 46

**AN:** My take on the event "A Letter From the Past" continues! Thanks for reading! Please let me know how you're liking the story so far!

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><p>Avani and I arrived at Kiel's house just as he was about to leave. "Oh, hi! What are you two up to today?" he said, stepping back to let us in.<p>

"I haven't yet finished that translation," I reminded him with a smile.

"Huh? But I thought you said you couldn't read any more?" he said, scratching his head and looking bewildered.

"That was then, this is now—and now I can read more of it."

"Umm… okay, I don't really understand what happened, but I'm guessing _you_ had something to do with this?" he said, turning to Avani with a grin. She blushed and looked up at me.

"Yes, you might say that," I laughed. "Now, may I have that second page?"

"Oh, sure…" he scampered off to his desk and rummaged around for a moment. "A-ha, here it is!" He returned and handed me the page.

I scanned it, noting that on this page there was a triangle in the lower corner. I sat at his table and he handed me a pen and ink. I began to jot down my translation as I read it through, and I summarized it for Avani and Kiel as I wrote.

"As I suspected, it continues the tale from the previous page. It says here that the girl stopped crying after the promise was made, never so much as shedding a tear afterwards. But then, after they had grown up, the man went on a long, long journey to save everyone from a crisis—so long a journey that they both knew they would never see each other again. On the day he left, she joined the others to see him off, still refusing to cry even though all around her were in tears. She struggled to keep her promise to him, still believing that someday, somehow, he'd return to her."

I sat up and leaned back in the chair, rubbing my forehead. "That… that's all for this page. I'm sure that there is more to the story, though." I looked up at Kiel. "You say there were instructions to find the second page?"

"Yeah! Right on the back of the first. So if you turn this page over… see? That should lead you to the next page! It's like a treasure hunt!" Kiel said enthusiastically.

I flipped the page over. On the back, in a tidy hand, were the words:

_From the palace, go southwest; _

_Go southeast from the fires ._

_The next part of your wandering quest_

_Within a square coppice retires._

"Palace? Where…?" said Kiel, thinking hard.

"I think that would be the old haunted mansion where Dolce was imprisoned in her Guardian form. Before my time, you see, it had been a pleasure palace for an ancient royal line. Even in my day, it was so old that it was long since abandoned and more than half ruined. My friends and I loved to explore the grounds when we were children. I assume that it was torn down at some point while I was sealed in the tower and that the manor house was built in its place. Probably not too long after I became a Guardian, because Dolce lived only a few centuries after me at most, and the mansion was already old and haunted by her time."

"So then… somewhere along the Autumn Road?" Avani asked, looking up at me.

I nodded. "Yes, that seems likely. And in fact, I _think_ I know the place now."

"Well, then, what are we waiting for? Let's get going!" Avani laughed, pulling me up.

"Sounds good! Thanks for your help, Kiel."

"Sure! Oh, and you can keep those pages—they're only copies anyway. I'll keep looking, too, and I'll let you know if I find anything! And you let me know if you find anything, too, okay?"

"Okay, we'll do that. I promise," I said as Avani eagerly pulled me towards the door.

We took the airship to the Autumn Road, and I led the way south. As I had thought, there was a clearing just off the main path with four stumps in the middle, situated so as to form the corners of a square. We knelt down in the center of the square and began to dig.

Before long, Avani bumped something solid. Scraping the dirt away from around it, we discovered a small but solid chest, well sealed. I lifted it out and opened it, and inside was a sheet, similar to the other two. "Well. Let's see what this one says." Although I tried to keep my tone light and cheerful, I doubted I fooled her anymore than I fooled myself—I was trembling with fear and anxiety as I held up the page.

Again summarizing as I translated, I read the content of the page. "It says…. Even after the man left her, she still didn't cry. Even when her mother and father died, still she held back her tears. Whenever she was upset or hurt, instead of crying, she would go to the tower and look at their names carved there. No one else knew of her promise, so she was seen as a cold-hearted, mean-spirited woman, disliked by most. And so it came to pass that she was all alone."

"All alone…." I repeated, feeling stricken. The only other mark on the page was a square in the corner, corresponding to the triangle on the previous page. I flipped it over. On the back was a note:

_Southwest of the shrine you'll find a lake,_

_If the southern road you take._

_And if you'll wish upon a star,_

_You'll find a page—go west, not far._

I looked over at Avani, who was lost in thought. "Hey. Did I mention that I used to drag Maria all over the place?" She looked at me and nodded. "Well, so far these pages have been buried in spots that she and I used to visit—old haunts, where we'd spend hours at a time playing. And it's been bothering me… why she picked these particular places, I mean. What was her point? But I think I'm beginning to understand. Kiel said it was like a treasure hunt… but instead it reminds me of our childhood, when I'd wander all over the countryside with her in tow. I wonder… what she was thinking, what she felt, when she buried these pages. Was she thinking of me? Or…."

I stood up and looked towards the east. "Well, let's see what the next note brings, shall we? I believe I know just where to look for it." I helped her up and we returned to the waiting airship.

I set a course for Sercerezo Lake, explaining that it had to be the lake found by taking the southern road from the shrine—the ruins of the old water shrine—and looking to the southwest of the shrine. The only other lake in the area was Keeno lake, which couldn't be reached by the southern road. Once at the lake, I remembered that there had once been a little grove a little ways to the west of there. The grove was surely long gone, but there might be some traces remaining.

We followed the path to the west, and there I saw that where the grove had once been, there were now only five massive, ancient stumps remaining. Avani darted to the center of the cluster, and began to dig. A moment later, she sprang up, holding something out for me to see. "Look, Leo! A coin—a really old one, too—I've never seen one like it. Or not that I remember, anyway."

I took the coin from her. "Yes, this was one of the coins we used in my time. One of the coins minted shortly before my imprisonment, I'd guess—they'd changed the designs only a couple of years before, when the new king was crowned."

"Then this _must_ be the place!" she cried excitedly, kneeling down and starting to dig again.

I knelt down and joined her. After a while, we again struck something solid, and soon we were lifting out another small chest. My heart raced as I opened the box and beheld yet another page of ancient text within. I tried to lift it out, but my hands shook so that I couldn't grasp it. "My Lady… will you pick it up for me? My hands are shaking."

She took the chest from me and carefully lifted the page out, placing it into my trembling hands. I took a deep breath—I was eager and terrified, anxious and conscience-stricken all at once. I cleared my throat and began to interpret the text.

"It says that one day a man began to talk with her, and over time they became good friends. One day he asked her, 'What would it take for you to be happy?'. She replied, 'For _him_ to return.' 'That's it? Just having him return to you would make you happy?' 'Yes,' she said, 'he should keep his promise and marry me.' 'And why would that make you happy?' the man asked her. 'Because then we would travel the same road through life, growing old side by side.' When the man heard her answer, he pulled out a small mirror and raised it to her face. Reflected therein, she saw not a lovely young girl, but an old woman, staring back at her with a scowl. She realized then that decades had passed since he had left her. Never would they walk down the same road, for life had led them too far apart. Several days later, she returned to the tower one last time. Their names were still there, but nothing else remained. Her family and friends were all gone now. Even _he_ was gone—nothing more than a name carved into stone. She had lost all that she'd had, even _him_—for she knew he'd never return. She'd known it all along—even known that to him, she was nothing but a little sister. But she hadn't been able to give up. For the first time in decades, the tears flowed down her cheeks. She couldn't have stopped them even if she had tried. 'In the end, I couldn't keep my promise after all,' she muttered. And then… she disappeared. Her final wish was that 'he' would one day disappear, too."

There was nothing else on the page but a star in the lower corner. I turned the page over, but the back side was blank. I sank to the ground. "And so the story ends." Avani looked at me, her eyes full of tears. I looked away, unable to bear any more pain.

"What a miserable end, after all…. So, she wants me to disappear. Well, I can't blame her. I made a promise that I couldn't keep, yet she waited for me all the same. And _this_… is the result." I looked back up at her, then jumped up, suddenly filled with impotent rage. "Damn it! Don't look at me like that! You think she was cold-hearted, don't you? You blame her for feeling that way? Don't make me laugh! You don't know _anything_ about her!"

She looked at me, aghast as I railed at her. "Leo…?" she whispered, slowly shaking her head as the tears began to fall.

"She wasn't _cold_—it wasn't that she didn't _want_ to cry, that she didn't feel anything. She just couldn't! I stole her tears and bound her heart with a promise I never even realized she took seriously until it was too late! _She_ didn't break that promise—it was me, _I_ was the one that broke it and left her behind!"

"Leo…."

"Damn it, Avani! Don't you _get_ it? You—you've had it so easy compared to her! Everyone loves _you_, don't they? Everyone protects you and looks out for you. But why… why didn't anyone protect _her_? Why did they just leave her all alone? Why didn't they see… see what _I_ saw in her?" I fell back to my knees, tears sliding down my cheeks. "Why… didn't I just stay with her? I just… I just wanted her to smile… always to smile. I couldn't bear to see her cry. That was all I wanted." I buried my face in my hands, groaning. "What else _could_ I have done? And now… what do I do _now_?"

I knelt there, fighting to get myself under control. Avani stood close by, waiting in silence for me. After a time, I pulled myself together and stood, looking down at her. "I… apologize, My Lady. I… I lost control. Let's go. I need to get these papers to Kiel."

She placed a hand lightly on my arm. "It doesn't have to be right now…."

"Yes, it _does_!" I snapped. She recoiled slightly, and I sighed. "Sorry…. But I promised him I'd let him know as soon as we found anything. And I never want to break another promise again. Never!" And I turned and left, with her trailing along behind me.

Back in town, I said, "I'm going to take these papers to Kiel now." I gave her a half smile and flipped a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Don't worry about me. I'm… fine." Then I walked away, leaving her standing at the gates.

I gave the papers to Kiel, leaving him to pore over them enthusiastically. Then I returned to my room to sit and think. A while later, I heard footsteps creeping softly up the stairs, and soon Avani was stepping cautiously into my room. "Leo?"

I turned and looked up at her. "Ah, it's you. I… gave those papers to Kiel. Just like I promised." She looked so concerned, but there wasn't anything I could do about it right then. I stood and walked over to her. "I told you, don't worry about me. The battle… is over." Then I gently turned her away, closing the door behind her. After several minutes, I heard her footsteps going slowly down the stairs.

When I felt sure she was gone, I left my room. I didn't feel like being around others right then, so I headed to Dragon Lake outside of town. But it just wasn't my day for solitude, it seemed, because soon afterwards, who should come along down the steps but Avani. I sighed to myself as she approached. "Yes, My Lady? Is something wrong?" She looked at me as if she wanted to say something, but wasn't sure how to say it. "Did we have plans? Did I… promise you something?"

She shook her head. "No… it's not that. It's… it's about Maria's story."

I stiffened. "Let's not talk about her anymore."

"But…."

"Just forget it!" I shouted. Her eyes opened wide in surprise. "Look… I-I'm sorry for shouting. But just forget all about it, okay? I'll… just live with the burden. That's all I can do now to try to make amends."

Then unexpectedly, Avani put her arms around me and held me tightly, leaning her cheek against my chest. "What are…?" I exclaimed, taken aback.

Still embracing me, she looked up into my startled face. "I don't know what you should do, or what I can do to help you. All I can do is follow what my heart tells me to do. And right now, it's telling me to hold you close and look into your eyes. You know, Xiao had some very good advice for me earlier. To summarize, she said that the world is too big a place for any one person to take on everything all alone—even _you_. So that started me thinking… what can I do? How can I help you through this?"

"And… _this_ was your answer?" I asked her incredulously.

"Yes. And I think it's the right answer, too, because it's something that only _I_ can do for you. Love and affection—those are joys reserved for the living. And I _do_ love you, Leo. I'm sure Maria must have felt the same way. And if I'm right… well, I'm sure, too, that she'd want you to be happy, because who _doesn't_ want the one they love to be happy? She might have felt resentful—resentful that you could be happy and go on without her. But all the same, she'd want you to be happy. I know… it's kind of a paradox. But that's love for you. When you love someone, you just want them to be happy, even when it hurts. It's a bittersweet mixture of pleasure and pain.

"I know I'm not perfect. Even though I _try_ not to be jealous… sometimes I am anyway. And I know I'm not much of a homebody, so sometimes I might not be around when you need me. But I love you, Leo, and I want you to have eyes only for me. I don't want to share you, and I don't want to give you up. But… more than _anything_ in all the world—I just want you to be _happy_. With me, or—if necessary—even without me. That's my true heart's wish.

"I know… I'm rambling on and not making much sense. This is all so new and confusing for me. But these are my honest, real feelings, laid bare for you. Nothing hidden—not anymore."

"My Lady…."

"So… please don't forget about Maria. Keep her memory green in your heart. She, too, loved you with all her might. I could _never_ ask you to forget her—it wouldn't be fair to either of you. Just like I could _never_ forget Sundara—and I know you wouldn't ask it of me, because he and I, too, were once very much in love. He was and is important to me, just as Maria was and is important to you."

I looked down into her sea green eyes. "And… are you _really_ okay with that?"

She blushed and looked down, tightening her embrace slightly. "I… I don't know, to be honest. But there's nothing I can do about it. All I can do is to keep on loving you… so that's _exactly_ what I'm going to do."

I sighed. "But…."

Just then, Kiel came tearing down the steps, full steam ahead. "Hey, you guys! You'll never guess what!"

He ran up to us, then paused to catch his breath as we separated and waited for him to continue.

"I did it! I solved the mystery of those pages!"

"Mystery?" I asked, bewildered.

"Here, you see these symbols on the bottom corners of the pages? The first page had a short line, the second a triangle, the third a square, and the fourth a star. Well, I kept puzzling it over—there just had to be a reason for those symbols. Otherwise, why put them there? It's not like they're terribly decorative or anything. And I just now figured it out!"

"Yes? Go on, what's the reason?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

"Each symbol has an ascending number of points: two, three, four, and five. And likewise, each page was found in the midst of a corresponding number of stumps."

"Yes, that's true…." Avani said, looking perplexed.

"But of what possible significance is that?" I asked.

"Well…." Kiel paused, grinning and giggling.

"Come on, man, out with it!" I exclaimed.

"First, I have a question for Avani: What is written on the pages of a book besides the text itself?"

She thought for a moment. "You mean… those symbols are page numbers?"

"Yep! You got it! The number of points on each symbol represents not only the number of stumps where it was found, but also what page number it was in the sequence!"

"But then that means…." she hesitated.

"Then that means that the first page…." I mused.

"That first page _isn't_ page one—it's really page two!" Kiel finished with a huge grin. "So that story hasn't really ended yet—or rather, it hasn't really begun!"

Avani gasped and looked up at me. "Leo!"

"The story… the story isn't over?" I said in disbelief.

"That's right! I need to go tell Arthur about this—won't he be excited!" And he ran back up the steps to the street.

I turned and stared into the waters of the lake. "So her story isn't finished…. But it's only the _beginning_ that's missing. The _ending_ won't change." I pondered for a few minutes, torn about what to do.

After a short while, I turned to her. "My Lady, suppose we do find that first page…. Do you… do you think somehow her fate will be altered, after all?"

"I don't know—because I'm not her. But," she continued, putting her finger on my lips to hush me, "I would want to be remembered, of _that_ I'm certain. To be remembered by the ones I loved—to never be forgotten. That, in itself, would make me happy."

"Never to be forgotten…. I see." I smiled down at her. "Well, then, My Lady, let's go. I have an idea where to find that first page. If we follow what we learned from the search for the other pages, the first page should be near a single marker."

"But… there are so many places with just one stump! How will we…."

"It needn't be a stump. You see, I've been racking my brain, trying to figure out why she scattered the pages all over creation—if her purpose was to think of me as she did it, or remind me of her as I found them, or yet some other reason. And I _think_ it was to remind me of our time together. Nothing else really makes sense. So the first page should be somewhere obvious… somewhere I'd go on my own, without a need for directions."

I turned and looked to the far west. "And my guess is that place would be a single, tall tower, rising up to the heavens."

"A tower…" she whispered, looking also towards the western sky.

"Yes. Let's go, My Lady—back to the beginning, to seek the remnants of a vow I can never fulfill… and to keep my promise to you, to share my true feelings with you, when all this has ended." I clasped her hand in mine and smiled at her. "Let us go now to Leon Karnak."

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	47. Chapter 47

**AN:** Today's chapter concludes my interpretation of the event "A Letter From the Past"—thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy it; please let me know what you think!

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><p>"Are you ready, My Lady?" I asked as we exited the airship just at the border of the wastelands that surrounded Leon Karnak. She nodded, and I said, "Good. Then let's go."<p>

We approached the tower slowly, as though she feared what we might find nearly as much as I did. As always, there was no one—human or monster—in sight. The monsters that populated the tower always avoided the ground level, though I had yet to understand why.

Standing before the great, solid, tightly sealed door into the tower, we gazed up at the names written in an ancient script near the top once again. "I would think the most likely place for her to have buried the first page would be right here, below our names. Will you help me look for it, My Lady?"

"Of course," she replied, kneeling on the ground before the door and starting to dig.

After digging for some time, I hit something solid. "It's here!" I exclaimed, scraping the earth away from around the chest. "Damn it. I'm shaking so hard, I can't pick it up."

"Do you want me to get it for you?" she asked.

"No, but thank you. I need to finish this myself. Just give me a minute." I steeled my nerves and steadied my hands, then carefully picked up the chest. When I opened it, there was another page inside. Still trembling, I lifted the paper out of the chest. Handing the chest to Avani, I looked at that solitary page. I saw that in the bottom corner was a dot—this, then, as we had surmised, was the first page.

"All right. Here we go. It says… Dear 'you' who lies sleeping within the tower—'she' who broke her promise to you has vanished. For at last she found herself a loving man, whom she married, and was reborn as 'me'. Because of this, I wish now to put an end to the heartache and pain between 'you' and 'she' by dedicating this story to you. That way when some distant day you finally awaken, you'll know all that transpired. Then, dear man, you will know that you have been freed from our childish promise. I'm sorry that I couldn't keep it, after all. Fare thee well." I felt tears pricking my eyes as I looked at the text that came next. "Then she adds a post-script, saying that at the suggestion of a friend, she plans to publish a book... the title of which is The Recipe for Happiness."

Avani gasped. "That—isn't that the book…?"

"Yes, that's the book I translated not long after we started seeing each other. She also says that she hopes one day I find it—that she's certain I will do so—and that she's writing it in the old script that we learned together as children. She says that she hopes I'll enjoy reading it all the more because of that. Then she says… she says 'To you, my dear friend, through the passage of years, centuries, even millennia… I send you my wish upon a star.'" I set the page back in the chest, and Avani gently closed the lid. "The Recipe for Happiness. It was the story of a happily married couple. And I remember… how I could sense the joy overflowing from the author through her words."

"Then that means…."

"It means that 'she' really did disappear here. She broke her promise and found someone else. She _didn't_ die miserable and alone—she… she had a happy life, after all." I felt the tears start to flow from the corners of my eyes as gladness flowed through me. I sighed, leaning against the door and closing my eyes for a moment. "A wish upon a star…."

"Wasn't that… wasn't that part of the hint to find the last page?" Avani asked.

I opened my eyes and looked at her in surprise. "Yes, now you mention it. You're right." I laughed. "How could I have forgotten about that? Wishes upon stars. It was a sort of a charm from my childhood—a kind of magic to send a wish to the heavens. The first page started with that dot, and then point by point she turned it into a star. Yes, I remember it now—it was supposed to make your wish come true. Everything—the story, the symbols, the locations… all of it was her gift to me, to both of us, so that our wishes might come true. It was… her blessing."

I looked up again at our names and laughed. "That silly girl. She has nothing to apologize for. _I'm_ the one who should be apologizing, not _her_." I reached up to trace over her name with my finger. "I'm so glad you found your happiness, Maria. I promise, your wish will not be wasted," I whispered.

I turned to look at Avani. She stood watching me, glad tears in her eyes, and my heart gave a hard thump and my throat constricted as I looked at her. She was somehow so strong, yet so vulnerable. So brave, yet so timid. She was a mass of contradictions, and I _loved_ her. I felt my spirits soar as I realized that I could allow myself to feel that now—I could even say it. I reached for her and pulled her to me, caressing her cheek as I gazed into her dewy green eyes.

"I promise… I will stay by your side. I will protect you," I murmured, and she threw her arms around me and held me tightly. "I can finally look you straight in the eyes." Then I pulled away. "No. To be honest, I've been deceiving myself ever since our relationship began. I've… been afraid. Afraid to accept the truth. Afraid of the consequences. And so I never could really face you. Even… even when I was _with_ you—my heart was elsewhere."

She smiled sadly up at me. "I understand, Leo. It… it was the more or less the same for me."

I opened my eyes wide, caught off guard by her words. "What? It _was_?"

"Right from the start, I hid away my true feelings. Remember you asked me if I was okay with the terms of our relationship—that you could never completelybe with me—and I said I was? I was deceiving myself, too. How _could_ I be okay with that? How could I be satisfied, let alone happy, knowing that your heart was bound and that you were in pain? It wasn't because you wouldn't marry me, honest—that never _really_ mattered to me. I only wanted to be with you. But I just couldn't bear that I was causing you grief.

"So I locked my true feelings away deep inside me, and I tried to pretend that things weren't so _very_ serious between us. Poor Dylas—truthfully, it was all over with him from the moment I first saw you. I was so selfish. But… after you said that you couldn't _truly_ be with me, I couldn't bring myself to be honest enough to give him his freedom or to give you my undivided affection. I thought maybe then… maybe that it would make it easier for you… and besides, I was… afraid.

"This is the first time I've been able to look you in the eyes and be _completely_ honest. Not that I actually lied before, more just that I didn't tell you _everything_. So… I'd like to start over. A clean slate. A fresh, new beginning, together with you."

I smiled at her as I took in her words. "A fresh start… yes, I like that idea. Now I feel like I can finally be with you—completely and entirely, in mind, body, and spirit."

"Same here," she said, standing on tip-toe to give me a kiss.

"Oh, that reminds me of something I asked you… 'Welcome home, My Lady.'"

She grinned at me, and replied, "'I'm home, Leo!'"

I touched the tip of her nose with my finger as I smiled again at her. "Hey, you remember what you were saying a moment ago, about when we first started seeing each other? You know, when I told you that I could never truly be with you, and you said you were fine with it, even though really you weren't." She nodded, looking questioningly at me. "I never want to break another promise again, My Lady. But… sadly, as things are right now… I _still_ can't truly be with you."

She looked startled and more than a little stricken. "What? Wh…"

"That's why," I interrupted, as I pulled her tightly to me, "you should marry me."

She gasped, pulling back to look up at me—uncertain if I was serious or not.

"We're two different people, so of course we can't be _completely_ together. So marry me—become as one with me in mind, body, and spirit."

"But that… that doesn't even make sense!" she exclaimed, flustered by my unexpected proposal.

"No, perhaps not. But as you said, love is a paradox. I love you, My Lady, with all my heart and soul, more than I've ever loved before. I'm finally free to admit that to myself—and free to say it to you—even though I've known it since I first set eyes on you, here in this tower." Deferring to the expected standard of behavior for such an occasion, I then dropped down on one knee before her and took her hands in mine. I looked up into her eyes, and I said, "I want you for my wife, Avani. Will you marry me?"

She looked down at me, tears glistening in her eyes, and my heart skipped a beat—uncertain if they were tears of joy or sorrow.

Then she knelt next to me and wrapped her arms tightly around me, and she whispered into my hair, "Yes, Leo. I'll marry you."

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	48. Chapter 48

**AN:** Thanks for reading, let me know how you're enjoying the story so far!

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><p>We stayed at Leon Karnak for a while, enjoying the peace that we knew wouldn't last once our engagement was announced. But after a while, I heard Avani's stomach start growling and realized that I was getting hungry, too. So, reluctantly, we headed back, taking the slow route on foot, rather than the much speedier escape spell.<p>

Along the way, we decided that the first person we ought to tell of our pending nuptials—for pity's sake, if nothing else—was Dylas. Avani insisted that she couldn't just leave him to learn of it through the rumor mill, and I fully agreed. Then we decided that next we should tell Arthur, as the Prince representing the Crown in Selphia, and Volkanon, as Venti's Head Butler and the steward of her estate. After that, Avani said she wanted to tell Amber and Dolce. Although not her closest friends, she felt a special bond with all four Guardians that transcended mere friendship. Then, she said, we could tell everyone else as the occasion arose.

When we arrived, I went straight to Avani's quarters to wait while she went in search of Dylas. Apparently she had no trouble finding him, as she returned with him after perhaps a quarter of an hour. She offered him a drink, which he declined, and we all sat before her fireplace—he in a chair, and Avani and I on the sofa. I cleared my throat to speak, but Avani quickly turned towards me and laid a hand on my arm—which I took to mean that she wanted to be the one to tell him.

"Dylas," she said as she turned back to her former lover, "I-I'm not _quite_ sure how to say this, but…."

"But you're getting married. Is that it?" he said, flatly, as he looked from one to the other of us.

I started in surprise, and Avani stammered, "W-well, yes, b-but how did you…?"

Dylas frowned at her. "Come on, give me a _little_ credit at least. I may not be the most socially adept person in town, but I'm _not_ made of wood. And I _know_ you, Avani —I know you so _well_, like the back of my own hand. When you showed up, it was pretty clear to me that you were both delighted and nervous, and when I saw Leon sitting here, looking so damn happy, I… just knew." He looked away from her. "I guess this is where I should say congratulations. I… I won't be petty and childish, so don't worry. We had a pretty good thing for a while, didn't we, Avani? And I… I still love you. So I hope he makes you happy." Then he looked me straight in the eyes, without a trace of humor or jest, and said, "You'd _better_ make her happy." Then he rose, and after a pause, he held out a hand to me. "Congratulations, man." Then he held out his hand to Avani, but she jumped up and hugged him. He stood there at a loss for words for a moment, then tentatively returned her hug with a brief embrace. "Thank you, Avani, for the time we had together," I heard him whisper to her before he pulled away and quickly left through the front door.

Turning to me with tears in her eyes, she said, "I… I think before we go see anyone else… _I_ could use that drink." I smiled sympathetically at her and went to pour two glasses of wine—I felt I could do with one myself. As we were both fairly famished by then, I also put together some sandwiches from what I could find in her refrigerator.

We talked about the wedding while we sipped and ate, and it quickly became clear that we would likely have an… _interesting_ wedding. I was unfamiliar with the customs of the current era, and Avani had forgotten all that she ever might have known of them. All either of us knew was based on tidbits of gossip, such as Nancy reminiscing about her marriage to Dr. Jones. However, we did agree on a few things—neither of us cared much for pomp and circumstance, so we wanted to keep it as simple as possible. Avani loved the idea of a big party for the whole town—feasting and merrymaking for a night and a day, or something like that—and I wasn't averse to the idea. However, I pointed out that if we did something along those lines, it would be difficult to keep all the tourists that her efforts had attracted to Selphia away, at least, without seeming churlish. So I suggested that we hold it outdoors, in which case we should be married as soon as possible, before the chilly fall rains began.

Once we'd finished our refreshments, I went in search of Arthur while she headed over to the butler's quarters to find Volkanon, agreeing to meet her back in her rooms. Arthur wasn't in his offices nor in the restaurant, so I tried the baths at the inn next. I found him there, soaking in the steaming, fragrant water, his eyes closed and a smile on his face as he relaxed after his day's efforts.

I crouched down on the edge of the pool of water next to him. "Hey, Arthur. Sorry to disturb you, but Avani and I need to talk to you as soon as is convenient. It… it's kind of important."

Without opening his eyes—though his smile widened a bit—he said, "Hmmm. Congratulations to the both of you."

I sat back on my heels in surprise. "What the…. How—how did you know?" I exclaimed.

He opened his eyes then, raising one eyebrow as he looked at me. "Am I mistaken?"

"N-no… but…. Dammit, was it that obvious?"

"Apparently to everyone but you two. Even Dylas had a hunch, though I don't think he knew for certain until Avani caught up to him a while ago. I'm pretty sure he knew at that moment, judging from the look in his eyes."

I shook my head. "Well, at least we don't have to worry about telling everyone, then."

He smiled at my rueful expression. "I will be done here shortly. Where do you wish to meet with me? My office?"

"No—Avani's rooms. She's looking for Volkanon right now, though I don't think she'll have much trouble finding him."

"Very well, then. I will be there in fifteen minutes," he said, then he closed his eyes again and leaned back as I rose and left.

When I returned, Avani was waiting for me. "Volkanon will be here any minute. Did you find Arthur?" she asked. When I explained he would be slightly delayed, she stood thinking for a moment. "Then I'm going to run out and find Amber and Dolce, if you don't mind waiting here? May as well kill two birds with one stone, and I wanted to tell them next."

I smiled at her. "Go on ahead, My Lady. I'll wait for Volkanon and Arthur to arrive."

She ran off, and returned a short while later with the girls in tow just as Arthur arrived. Volkanon was already there and waiting, so we invited everyone to take seats. Standing before the fireplace, Avani and I looked at each other and smiled. "We've asked you all here to let you know that Avani and I have decided to marry," I began, only to be interrupted by loud squeals from Amber and Pico.

Volkanon jumped up and smothered Avani in a massive embrace, sobbing noisily as he congratulated us. Arthur smiled—a little wistfully, I thought—and offered his felicitations, as well, and even reserved Dolce smiled as she said, "_Finally_. I wondered when you two would finally get around to it."

"'Congratulations, and I hope you two are very happy together'—is what Dolly means to say, isn't it, Dolly?" Pico exclaimed, throwing her translucent arms around Dolce's neck.

Brushing her aside, Dolce flushed and muttered, "Go haunt someone _else_ for a change."

"Ahh! You're so cold, my lady!" Pico squealed.

I cleared my throat, and the chattering and squealing subsided. "Anyway, we realized that neither of us really knows how to go about doing this. I'm not familiar with the marital laws and customs of this age, and Avani of course doesn't remember them, if she ever knew. So—"

"Just leave it all to us, Sir Leon!" Volkanon happily asserted. "We'll make _all_ the arrangements for you! Now, let's see… clothing, food, venue, invitations, musicians, flowers…. Perhaps if we set a date for mid-winter? Oh, this will be a _grand_ affair!"

Avani looked a little pale at that, and I hurried to explain. "Again, we are not familiar with the customs, but as such, neither do we feel especially bound by them, provided that all the _legal _requirements for marriage are met. Neither of us cares for a lot of fuss…."

"Are you quite sure of that, Leon?" Dolce asked, drily. "Avani _is_ a woman, after all. Even if she _says_ that she doesn't want a lot of fuss… most women dream of their wedding day from girlhood on. You know, becoming a princess for a day, wearing a frilly dress, flowers, a huge cake. All that sort of thing."

I glanced over at Avani, wondering if what Dolce said was true and that she really did want a lot of fuss despite her assurances to the contrary. Meeting my gaze, she smiled in amusement as she said, "That _may_ be true, Dolce, but if I once had dreams of a fairytale wedding, I've forgotten them. All I know is what I feel _now_—that I just want to marry Leo; the manner is unimportant to me. I wouldn't care if I married him on the shore of the lake wearing my work clothes. I'm just happy to be marrying him."

Volkanon cleared his throat noisily. "No, no, _no_—that would _never_ do! You are a _princess_—well, in a manner of speaking—and you _must_ have a wedding befitting your rank!"

Avani sighed. "Fine. Have it your way. We'll have whatever wedding you feel is necessary for us to have… provided that you do all the planning and preparations and that it takes place within a week."

"A _week_?!" Volkanon roared, stunned.

"_Or less_," Avani said, in a tone that brooked no argument.

"Ahh… hrmm. Yes. Well, in that case—there is no time to lose!"

As he turned to bolt out the door, I called to him. He paused and looked at me expectantly, and I said, "My Lady and I had thought to hold the reception out of doors, so that everyone—even visitors to the town—might join the festivities. Just a big party that _everyone_ can enjoy."

"Yes, _sir_!" he exclaimed with a broad grin, then he disappeared through the side door into the castle.

Dolce rose next, saying, "I suppose since I have a little skill with a needle that I could make the wedding clothes. I'll sketch out some designs tonight. If you would be so good to stop by early in the morning, you can give your opinion on them. Do you know yet who your attendants will be?"

"A-attendants?" Avani said, bewildered.

Dolce sighed and closed her eyes. "Yes, it's traditional for both the bride and groom to each have attendants to help them dress, help with the wedding itself, act as witnesses to the marriage—those sorts of things. You should each have at _least_ one attendant, though really elaborate weddings may have a dozen or more attendants apiece."

We looked at each other, and she said, "Well… can I let you know in the morning? We… uhh, need to decide that."

Dolce nodded, and then she, too hurried off.

Amber jumped up to follow, squealing, "I bet Lumie will want to do _all_ your flowers! I can't want to tell her! Oh! Or maybe _you_ want to be the one to tell her?"

"I do, thank you. I'll come by later, okay?" Avani said with a smile.

"Okie dokieeeee!" Amber giggled, then she bounced away, fluttering her wings excitedly.

That just left us alone with Arthur. "Well, it seems things have been set in motion," he said with a smile. "Of course, normally there would be a waiting period between the time your application for a marriage license is submitted and the time you could actually marry. However, I would be more than happy to expedite that for you, as a special circumstance. So if the two of you will please come by my office tomorrow, we'll take care of your paperwork. One thing—I do not know either of your surnames, and I will need those for your applications."

Avani looked disconcerted at that. "But… but I have no idea what my surname is! I only remembered my given name after I came to—nothing else. What am I going to do?" She bit her lip, looking as if she might cry.

"Ahh, well, don't worry about it," Arthur said with a reassuring smile. "That's another special circumstance, isn't it? Since you don't know your name, I will simply put you down as 'Avani of Selphia'. And you, Leon?"

I thought for a moment. "My family has long since died out. It had all but done so when I became a Guardian—I was the only son of an only son of an only son. I _could_ carry on my father's name, of course, but after the passage of centuries, it seems almost… silly. I'd essentially be starting a new family line, anyway, so may I—may _we_—choose a new name for ourselves?"

"Certainly, if that is what you wish. After all, who in this time would be able to gainsay you anyway? Then discuss it tonight and let me know what name you wish to use tomorrow." He rose and held out a hand to me. "Again, my congratulations. You're a very lucky man, Leon."

"I know," I grinned.

That evening, as we lay in bed, we discussed attendants and names. "I was thinking…" Avani began, "although they perhaps aren't my _nearest_ friends, I'd like to have Dolce and Amber as my attendants. I feel closer to you four Guardians than to the townsfolk—or I guess more accurately, I feel a bond with you that I don't share with anyone else. But it depends… who do you want to ask to be _yours_?"

I thought for a few minutes. "Well, as strange as it may sound, I think the man I'm closest to would be, well, Dylas. After all, we've been comrades-in-arms for some time now, and we've shared a lot—_you_, for example," I said with a grin at her. She rolled her eyes, and I went on. "But… I don't know… it might be awkward to ask him, given that he is your former lover. And even if he is _willing_… it could still be painful for him."

She sighed and snuggled up to me. "True… but he still seems like the best choice. You could ask him and see what he says—if he declines, no hard feelings."

"Perhaps. I was thinking of asking Arthur to be the other attendant when we go in to do the paperwork, so maybe I'll ask Dylas while we're there."

She got a wicked gleam in her eye just then, and mused, "If he declines, you could mention that in that case, you'll ask Doug instead. I bet he'd change his mind then!" I laughed—she certainly knew how to get Dylas to do what she wanted.

"It's nice how nearly everyone in town is doing something for the wedding—how they all wanted to pitch in and have some part in the preparations," she said after a few minutes. "Dolce's doing all the sewing, with help from Nancy and Blossom. Lumie, Deasún, and Amber are all taking care of the flowers and decorations. Meg's seeing to the music, even to finding additional musicians to perform with her. Porcoline's cooking all the food—no doubt with Dylas's help—making the cake, and providing the beverages. The butlers are all handling the planning, Arthur's taking care of the paperwork, and even Bado's helping with our rings. It's almost like having a huge, extended family."

"Indeed it is. Which leads me to another decision to be made: what name will we take for ourselves?"

She furrowed her brow in thought. "Something meaningful to both of us," she finally said, slowly. "We could pick something that has to do with the tower or the forest where we first met… or we could pick something to do with Venti?"

"Such as?" I asked, looking at her dubiously.

"Like… something relating to wind? Or dragons? Like… Drake… or Gale… or Mistral?"

"Hmmm… Drake…. I rather like that. Leon and Avani Drake—that has a nice ring to it, I must say. And it seems appropriate, given that I was Venti's high priest and that we both were her friends." I paused and looked at her. "Err, assuming that you intend to take my name, that is?"

She looked surprised. "I-I don't know. I guess so? I have no idea what's customary. But… I'd _like_ to share your name."

I wrapped my arms around her and gave her a kiss as I held her tightly. "I'd like that, too."

The next morning, as soon as she'd finished her farm chores, Avani ran off to see Dolce. She returned an hour or so later with a merry look in her eyes. When I asked the cause of her amusement, however, she coyly told me that I'd just have to wait and see. I recognized the bit of devilment in her eyes, and just gave up before I'd even started—I knew I hadn't a chance when she was in _that_ mood. She did say, though, that Dolce had agreed—happily, even, although also with a little embarrassment—to be one of her attendants. We stopped by Carnation's on the way to Arthur's, and she asked Amber as well—who also agreed, and with far more exuberance, I imagined.

Before going in to see Arthur, we first tracked down Dylas. He was waiting tables, but took a break when I asked if I could talk to him. We stepped upstairs to his room, Avani following behind. Once in his room, he turned and looked at me, hand on his hip. "Well, what is it? I _am_ working, you know—so make it quick," he grumbled impatiently.

"Then I won't mince words. I'd like you to be one of my attendants at your wedding. After all, you're one of our closest friends—mine as well as Avani's." Seeing the stunned look on his face, I quickly added, "I know—it's probably more than a little unconventional to ask a former rival to be in the wedding party. But then, none of us are particularly stuck on convention."

He looked torn between shock and anger as he just stared, open-mouthed, at me. "Y-you…."

Avani stepped up to him, and interrupting him, she laid her hands on his arm and looked pleadingly into his eyes. "Please, Dylas? I _know_ it's a lot to ask of you. But… it would mean so much to us—to _me_—for you to be Leon's attendant."

He abruptly turned his back to us, and in a low voice, he said, "_Don't_, Avani. Don't look at me like that. It… it isn't fair. You _know_ I can't say no to you when you have _that_ look in your eyes…." He heaved a great sigh, then softly said, "_Fine_. I'll do it. Just… don't expect me to pretend to be all happiness and sunshine and rainbows."

"Thank you, Dylas—it means more to me than I can say," Avani gently replied, giving him a hug.

"Yeah, whatever. Now get going, will you? I have work to do," he said gruffly, and we quietly slipped away to find Arthur.

He was, as usual, in his office. He looked up and smiled at us as we ambled downstairs. "Ahh, there you are. I'm glad to see you," he said gesturing for us to sit across from him. "I have the necessary paperwork right here for you to fill in. Have you come to a decision regarding your surname?"

"Yes," I replied as we sat down, "we're thinking of using the name Drake. It seems fitting, given our friendships with Venti—not to mention that I was once her high priest. Is that an acceptable choice?"

He drummed his fingers on the desk as he thought for a moment. "Well…" he said after a long pause, "the trouble with that name is that some in the capitol might see it as… well, _presumptuous_ for commoners to take a name derived from a Native Dragon—however feted those commoners might be."

Avani tensed up, looking angry at the suggestion, so I put an arm around her shoulders to calm her as I replied, "Well, then. Is that enough to actually be an impediment?"

Arthur leaned back in his chair. "It _could_ be… but something _else_ has come up. Please wait here—I would like Dylas to be present for this."

Avani and I looked at each other in astonishment as he stepped through the door into Porcoline's restaurant, returning a few minutes later with a fairly surly Dylas in tow. He grabbed another chair and pulled it over to the desk, gesturing for Dylas to have a seat as he resumed his own.

Rifling through his papers, he pulled out a single letter with a large, flamboyant seal stamped onto it. "Here's the thing," he began, glancing the paper over before looking up at us. "As I already told you, your proposed surname _could_ be problematic with certain factions within the capitol, due to your status as commoners. My father, the King, would not care—of that I am certain. But those who are more hidebound would almost certainly try to make things difficult, or at least uncomfortable, for you two.

"However, I hold here a solution to this potential dilemma. The King has written to me, stating that he wishes to recognize your heroism—all three of you, that is—in our kingdom's recent crisis. Therefore, he wishes to knight all three of you, and to you, Avani, he has further issued letters patent creating you Baronet of the Selphian Plains."

We all just stared at him, completely at a loss for words. Dylas, surprisingly, recovered use of his tongue first. "Kn-knight? Me? Are you _kidding_ me? And can women even _be_ baronets? I-I… I don't know what to say."

Smiling at our confusion, Arthur said, "Yes, I'm quite serious. No, there has never been a lady created a baronet—until now. Then, there has not yet been a lady more deserving until this time, either. Your new titles and honors should preclude any potential carping regarding your choice of surname, so we can proceed with confidence.

"My father had intended to call you three to the capitol soon for a formal knighting; however, I think I will make a personal request of him—as his son, at that, rather than as a prince—to come here instead. Then your wedding plans need not be disarranged. My father enjoys getting away from the fuss and feathers of court life once in a while, so I think he will be amenable."

Avani and I just looked at each other, speechless. Then simultaneously, we both began to laugh. We laughed until we were helplessly gasping for breath. From the corner of my eye, I could see Arthur's startled expression, which only made me laugh all the harder.

"What is it? What's so funny?" he exclaimed in surprise.

"O-only Avani," I gasped. "Only Avani could try to plan a simple, quiet, little wedding and have it turn into a royal affair to be organized with less than a week's notice."

"Volkanon's going to blow a gasket," she giggled, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"You two… are fucking _insane_," Dylas solemnly pronounced as we once again dissolved into laughter.

* * *

><p>Disclaimer: Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.<p> 


	49. Chapter 49

**AN:** Avani being styled "Sir Avani" is inspired by a glitch in the game. When playing as Frey, after you get married, Volkanon addresses your character as Sir Frey. I found it annoying at first, but that quickly gave way to amusement. So I followed the adage, "If you can't fix it, feature it"!

I hope you have enjoyed my interpretation of this event. Please let me know what you think of it! Thanks for reading!

* * *

><p>"Ta-<em>daaaa<em>!" Margaret exclaimed, whisking the cover off the outfit she had brought for me to wear.

I just stood and stared at her, dumbfounded. "You… want _me_… to wear _that_?"

"Of course!" she exclaimed. "Why, don't you like it? It's the latest fashion!" She turned the ridiculously formal suit—white and cyan, with lace and ruffles and frills in excess—and looked at it with a pouty frown.

I heard Arthur choking a little behind me; Dylas's snort of laughter wasn't nearly so subtle. My ear began to twitch in annoyance. "_Like_ it? Margaret. Even _you_ should know me well enough by now to realize how I'd feel about wearing something like… like _that_," I growled, gesturing contemptuously at the suit.

She sighed, and said, "Well… Avani _did_ seem to think you wouldn't really approve of it. So as it happens, I brought an alternate. It's a pity, though—it's _such_ a nice suit! You'd look so… _dashing_!"

"I'd look like a performer in a poorly-conceived circus. What's my other choice?" I muttered.

"Avani helped Dolce with the design, so you _ought_ to like it, if _only_ for that reason, you ungrateful man," she said with a grimace as she hurried off to swap outfits. Returning a few minutes later, she again whisked the cover off the hanger.

My eyes opened wide, then I smiled a broad smile. "Ahh, yes. That's much more like it."

"But… but that's the same thing you wear every day!" she exclaimed, disappointed with my reaction. "You should wear something _special_ to your own wedding!"

"Not _quite_ the same—it's white and cyan, for one thing, and the trousers are less casual than the ones I'm wearing now. But the overall style is much the same. I like it."

Margaret sighed again. "Avani was sure you would. Honestly, she said _she_ preferred it, too. She said that seeing you so dressed up, with a shirt and everything, would just seem all wrong. She even called the other outfit 'stuffy'!" Pushing the clothing into my arms, she threw up her hands in disgust, and she bustled off to let us dress.

The king had indeed arrived for our wedding, intending to have the knighting ceremony in the interim between our nuptials and the reception. Arthur had evidently discussed it with him, because instead of a formal ceremony, this was to be a casual event—much like our wedding. For in spite of Volkanon's and Margaret's best efforts, and in spite of the daunting number of guests expected at the reception, we'd still managed to keep the tone informal, just as we wanted.

After dressing in my room at the inn, Arthur, Dylas, and I all walked over to the castle to await the ceremony. It would be a simple affair—aside from the wedding party, the only others in attendance would be Volkanon, who would perform the ceremony on Venti's behalf, His Royal Highness King Gilbert and his elite guard, who stood on duty at the doors to keep any overly eager well-wishers at bay, and Margaret, who was providing the music for the ceremony. The ceremony was to begin at 15:00, and the reception about an hour later.

A few minutes before the hour, Margaret came hurrying through the side door from Avani's rooms. She sat down at a beautiful, huge Elvish harp—apparently a family heirloom, on loan to her for the occasion. She gently plucked at the strings, creating a soft melody. A few minutes later, the door to Avani's room was thrown open, and Margaret changed her tune to a more ceremonial piece of music. Amber pranced out in her new frock, beaming in delight as Arthur tucked her hand into his arm and escorted her to her place before stepping over to his own. A moment later and Dolce stepped out. Dylas offered his arm to her, and as she took it, Pico appeared, fluttering around in her ghostly way—envious of Dylas's position. The soft yellowy moss green of the ladies' dresses formed a pleasing contrast with the deep blue-violet trousers and bronze shirts worn by the two men. After they'd stepped aside in their places, there was a pause, then Avani appeared in the doorway.

To my surprise, the King himself stepped forward, tucking her arm into his as he slowly led her to her place beside me. She looked up at me—uncustomarily shy in her wedding finery—and blushed at my stare. But in truth, I couldn't keep my eyes from her. Though simple in design, her gown was an elegant, modern interpretation of the dresses favored by ladies of my own time. Sheer white fabric was gathered over the short, cyan undergown and across one shoulder, falling into a long, lightweight train floating behind her. A slender belt of square golden links was fastened around her waist, and she wore golden sandals with straps that wound almost halfway to her knees. Her pale green hair was even styled in the manner of my era—piled high in curls on the back of her head, with two slender golden bands set across the crown of her head. She wore simple gold jewelry, and her eyes were embellished with narrow lines of black kohl.

King Gilbert brought her before Volkanon, then kissed her on both of her cheeks before placing her hand into mine and stepping back. Wiping tears from his eyes, Volkanon looked at Avani, murmuring "Beautiful, so beautiful," before clearing his throat and proceeding.

"I, Volkanon, Head Butler and Steward of the Lady Ventuswill's estate, shall perform this ceremony in her absence on her behalf." Turning to Avani, he said, "Avani of Selphia, will you take this man, Leon, as your lawfully wedded husband, pledging your undying love and devotion to him and him alone now and for all time?"

She looked up at me and smiled, then turned to face him as she replied, "I do so pledge."

I felt tears pricking my eyes at her reply as Volkanon turned to me. "Leon Drake of the tower of Leon Karnak, will you take this woman, Avani, as your lawfully wedded wife, pledging your undying love and devotion to her and her alone now and for all time?"

I grinned down at her as I replied, "Damn straight I do." She smothered a giggle, though her sparkling eyes betrayed her.

Volkanon cleared his throat again, looking severely at me. "The rings?" Dylas stepped forward to give me the ring I'd designed and crafted—with a great deal of help from Bado—for Avani. It was comprised of a narrow gold band set all around with tiny emeralds and entwined with a second band of golden scrollwork. Dolce also stepped forward, and placed a ring in Avani's hand. I slipped my ring onto her finger, and she slipped hers onto mine. The ring she'd crafted for me—for I recognized her handiwork—was a polished band of gold, inlaid with gold squares. Set into the band was a design of rectangular and square turquoise inlays, and in the spaces between the groups of inlays, she had set tiny diamonds, with a single tiny ruby in the very center of the design. It was an incredible piece of work that reminded me of my facial markings—as I was certain she had intended.

After placing our rings on each others' fingers, we turned back to Volkanon. "I now pronounce you man and wife. Henceforth shall you be known as Mr. and Mrs. Leon Drake of Selphia. May the Native Dragons bless your union!" I smiled down at her, happy tears springing to her eyes as she returned my gaze, then I caught her up and kissed her while those around us cheered.

Immediately segueing into the knighthood ceremony, Volkanon stood to the side and the King stepped forward. Avani stood before him, with Dylas and I falling into place on either side of her and a step back. The three of us genuflected before him, awaiting his pleasure.

"I shall keep this short and simple," he began. "In honor of the great service which you three have rendered to our kingdom in our time of need, and in gratitude for your efforts on behalf of all of us and the Native Dragons besides, I now confer the honor of knighthood upon you, as is my royal prerogative." Taking a step forward, he drew his mighty sword, then he tapped Avani first on the right shoulder and then the left with the flat of his blade, saying, "I dub thee Sir Avani Drake, Knight of the Kingdom of Norad. I further bestow upon thee the title of First Baronet of the Selphian Plains, with all the honors and duties implied therein." She kissed the signet ring on his outstretched hand, then he raised her up and kissed her on both cheeks.

"My Lord and King, I thank you for these honors so conferred," she said in her melodic voice, bowing her head and curtseying.

He flashed a brilliant smile at her, saying heartily "It is I who thank _you_, my dear girl." Then he turned next to me, saying as he tapped my shoulders with his blade, "I now dub thee Sir Leon Drake of Selphia, Knight of the Kingdom of Norad." I likewise kissed his ring before he raised me up and kissed my cheeks, then he repeated the process with Dylas, similarly styling him Sir Dylas Powell of Selphia.

"Well done, all three of you, and congratulations, Sir Leon and Sir Avani, on your marriage. Now—I do believe there is a party out there waiting for us, so let us begin the festivities!" He gestured to my new bride and me, signaling us to precede him through the main door to the courtyard.

When we stepped out, momentarily dazzled by the brilliant sunlight, a roar of congratulations greeted us. The courtyard was filled with friends and strangers alike, all ready to eat, drink, and be merry on our behalf. The King stepped up behind us, and placing a hand on each of our shoulders, he shouted, "All hail the newlyweds, Sir Leon and Sir Avani Drake of Selphia!" Another roar rose from everyone gathered there as he smiled and gently propelled us forward into the welcoming arms of the crowd.

Margaret stepped up onto a platform that had been raised adjacent to the butler's entrance to the castle, where a few other musicians awaited her. With a wide smile, she began to play a sprightly tune on her lap harp and the other musicians joined her in accompaniment. As our friends gathered around us to congratulate us and wish us well, others began to dance in the center of the courtyard. All around the sides of the courtyard were tables laden with some of Porcoline's finest cooking, including a towering cake that looked as though it could feed a thousand—and looking around at the crowd, I thought it might need to. Next to the tables of food, several casks of beer, wine, mead, and cider had been tapped for the occasion. The castle and lampposts and courtyard were splendidly decorated with hundreds, if not _thousands_, of brilliant summer blooms, festoons of cyan cloth, and clusters of peacock feathers.

I looked down at my wife, and she looked up at me as we smiled at each other. She reached up and gently stroked my cheek, murmuring, "My husband." Then she grinned at me, grabbed my hands, and pulled me into the crowd, which parted as we passed through, clearing a space for us in the center of the courtyard. She pulled me out into the center of the clearing just as the current song ended, and throwing her train over her arm, she turned to me and said, "Shall we dance, good sir?"

I grinned back at her, replying, "As you wish, My Lady." At that, the musicians struck up another lively tune and we threw ourselves into dancing, the others falling into a circle surrounding us as we laughed and whirled to the music.

On the opposite side of the main castle entrance from the musicians, near the request box, a dais had been constructed and comfortable seating arranged for the King and Prince Arthur, with room for the King's guard to stand by his side. Here, the royal guests retired to watch the dancing, feast upon delicacies offered them by the young maidens of Selphia, and enjoy the music as they talked. After a while, I saw Forte approach the dais, her cheeks flushed crimson. I was surprised by the sight—not the blushes, as I was accustomed to seeing that whenever I spoke with her. But instead of her usual armor, she wore a sweeping gown of azure blue. Her long golden hair was braided and woven with azure ribbons; aside from her glorious hair, her only decoration was a strand of pearls at her throat. I looked at Arthur as she approached, and smiled to see his response. She was actually quite lovely—beautiful, even—and he was more than man enough to notice and appreciate the sight. It wasn't much later that I saw him dancing with her, and I smiled again—any heartbreak he may have felt at Avani's marriage appeared to have been short-lived.

Indeed, most of the bachelors seemed to find themselves very satisfactorily paired off for the evening. Doug danced happily with Amber, whom he'd not-so-secretly admired for some time. Kiel danced with various maidens, but seemed partial to little Xiao. And Vishnal paired off with Clorica from the beginning of the dancing. In fact, of all the young Selphian bachelors, only Dylas remained alone and apart, refusing all who offered to dance with him.

The feasting and merrymaking went on well into the night. After a time, King Gilbert retired with most of his guard to the royal pavilion that had been constructed for him down by Dragon Lake. He left a few of his guards in charge of the soldiers in town, as he'd ordered Forte to take the night off from her duties to join the celebration. Arthur and Forte escorted him, then returned a while later to rejoin the dancers.

A little while after midnight, Avani looked up at me with an eloquent plea in her eyes. Instantly comprehending, I nodded, and we quietly slipped away. Most of the revelers by that time were three sheets to the wind, so our departure went unnoticed by all but one. Dylas caught my eye for a brief moment as I led Avani towards her—towards _our_—rooms, then instantly comprehending our intent, he flushed and turned quickly away. The last I saw of him, he was striding purposefully towards the still-plentiful supply of drink.

Quietly opening the door to our room, I smiled down at my beautiful bride. I lifted her up in my arms and carried her through the entrance, nuzzling her neck and breathing in her intoxicating fragrance. Then as she reached her arms around my neck and began to kiss me, I closed and locked the door firmly behind us.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	50. Chapter 50

**AN:** The setting is not canon—it's just something I made up based partly on some of the countryside in my corner of the world and partly from a large number of photos I've seen throughout the years. The narrative changes from taking place before the wedding to after it. I hope you enjoy this chapter! And I do _so_ love to hear from readers, so please let me know what you think of it! :)

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><p>"<em>What the<em>…? Hey—out! _Out_!" I shouted, despite my laughter. Avani giggled helplessly as two cold, wet snouts snuffled at us and eight massive paws tried to sneak into our tent. "Baldur! Fenrir! Go on, get out!" I exclaimed again in exasperation. Fenrir immediately backed out into the pre-dawn darkness, but Baldur gave me a reproving, wounded look with his luminescent cobalt eyes before departing. I lay back against the cushions of our bed and looked affectionately at my wife, who cuddled up close to me, still snickering at her giant wolves' failed impersonations of lap-dogs.

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><p>When we first began to plan our honeymoon trip, we quickly learned that pretty much everyone in town had an opinion as to where we should go. Arthur offered to arrange for us to stay in style in the capitol, and Forte and Kiel echoed his suggestion. All four elves in town promised to send us letters of introduction if we wanted to go visit the distant island home of the Elven Kingdom, and Illuminata and Deasún even offered to accompany us there, just to ensure a warm welcome for us. Lin and Xiao, of course, suggested we simply stay in their inn, thus avoiding the rigors of travel.<p>

Vishnal spoke up for his hometown, far off in the south-east of the kingdom. Both Clorica and Amber recommended going to Kardia, where, they had apparently heard, there was a small inn that had some of the most comfortable beds in the kingdom. Porcoline likewise recommended Kardia, where the patriarch of the de Sainte-Coquille family lived in the old family manor house. Nancy and Jones urged us to consider the tiny village of Trampoli, where they'd spent their own honeymoon some years back, and both dwarves agreed, saying that the mountains there were not only beautiful, but rich in ores and gemstones.

Dylas reluctantly supposed in passing that we might find the Eastern Isle to our taste, and Blossom sighed as she reminisced about her own long-ago honeymoon, spent in a quaint inn on Fenith Island. Even the semi-permanent visitors, Barrett and Raven, chipped in, putting in a word for their respective hometowns of Alvarna and Sharance.

In the end, having compiled the numerous suggestions and recommendations, we just looked at each other. "Well, My Lady. Where do you wish to go?" I asked her as we sat together on her sofa one afternoon.

She looked thoughtful for a minute, then grinned up at me. "Someplace quiet…"

"Mmm, yes?"

"… and secluded…"

"Even better," I grinned.

"… away from the hustle and bustle of cities and towns…."

"Keep going…."

"Someplace like…." Then she grabbed my hand and dragged me up to her study, where she dug out a huge map of the world and spread it across her desk. "Like _here_!" she exclaimed, pointing to a spot in the southern part of the kingdom that fell under the label "Terra Incognita".

I stared at the spot above the tip of her finger for a moment, my brow furrowed in thought. "_There_? What lies there, My Lady, that attracts you so?"

"Leo, _really_?" she said reprovingly. "'Terra Incognita'—'unknown land'! _That's_ what attracts me. Who knows what adventures we might have there? Though honestly, probably nothing _too_ dangerous. But still, doesn't it just _sound_ enticing?"

She cozied up to me, tucking her hand in my arm as she gazed at the map with dreamy eyes. "Just think of it—camping out in the wilds, no one but us for miles and miles around. We can go fishing, or hunting, or just exploring… or even… just… stay in bed _all day_," she added looking up at me with her eyes half closed, a sensual smile spreading over her lips as she reached up to trace the markings on my cheek.

I reached for her, her delicate touch stirring my blood. "You make a powerful case, My Lady," I replied huskily as I leaned down to kiss her neck.

An hour later, as we lay basking in the afterglow, I gave my wholehearted assent to her suggestion.

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><p>I stepped out of the tent and stretched as I looked around. Avani had scouted out a gorgeous spot, to be sure. Our campsite was by the shore of a large, deep blue lake surrounded by stands of towering ancient evergreen trees and meadows of lush green grass. The southwestern mountain range rose tall and smoky blue in the distance. A few fluffy white clouds were reflected on the lake's surface, and the brilliant sun was just beginning to peek above the trees to the east.<p>

She had made a makeshift, but very cozy, tent of large, colorful quilts hung over a heavy rope stretched between two trees. The quilts were anchored to the ground with guy lines and clamped to the rope with sturdy clothespins to keep them from shifting around. She'd spread some heavy canvas on the ground as a barrier against the dew, then over that she'd spread some old woven rugs and placed a large feather bed she'd unearthed in some half-forgotten storeroom in the castle. Cushions and more quilts for bed covers completed our sleeping arrangement.

I looked back at Avani's sleeping form and smiled. After the wolves had awakened us, trying to crawl into bed with us for some reason, we lay awake for a while, rehashing our wedding—and our wedding night. That naturally enough led to another amorous interlude, culminating just as the sky began to lighten to the east. Afterwards, she had lain nestled in my arms, sleeping peacefully with a blissful smile on her face as she dreamed. I was unable to sleep any longer, however, so once I was convinced she was sound asleep, I carefully slipped away.

Although it was still early in the morning, it was already warming up. I gathered up my fishing tackle and sauntered down to the lake, intending to fish for our breakfast. We'd brought an adequate supply of food and drink, but I was always prepared to enjoy grilled fresh fish—especially if that fish happened to be rainbow trout.

The glassy surface of the lake was broken at frequent intervals near the shore where I stood watching the fish swarming near the surface, attempting to catch the caddisflies that had gathered thickly just above the water. I cast my line out into the midst of the nearest swarm, and within moments had a bite. Grinning in delight, I pulled out a huge trout and dropped it into my basin of water before again casting my line.

I was well pleased with this area. Not only was it breathtakingly beautiful, but it was so pristine, so untouched. It didn't look as though another human being had been there in decades, if indeed ever. The fishing alone was evidence of that. The lake was teeming with large fish—bigger than any I'd seen in the areas surrounding Selphia, anyway. When we'd fished for our dinner last night after setting up our camp, we had caught enough fish, not only for our own meal but also to feed our beasts, within half an hour. Of the monsters we'd brought with us, both wolves were carnivores, naturally, while Thor, Avani's thunderbolt monster—the same variety of horse monster that Dylas had been bound to as Guardian—and Charmie, her tame mammoo, were omnivores. As such, they were just as happy to eat the proffered raw fish as the wolves, though they were equally happy to graze on the tall, thick grass surrounding our camp.

After around twenty minutes, I'd already caught enough fish for breakfast. Besides my large rainbow trout, I had also caught a couple of lake trout, a perch, and a whitefish. I returned up the short path to our camp, and finding Avani still asleep, I quietly stirred the fire, building it up to make the glowing embers needed to grill the fish properly. Next, I filled the coffee pot and placed it on top of the arrangement of firewood to come to a boil. While I waited on the coals and for the coffee to brew, I cleaned the fish, filleting the pair of lake trout for Baldur and Fenrir. Since Charmie and Thor didn't seem to care either way, I decided I'd just let them graze for their breakfasts.

By the time I'd finished with that, the coffee pot was just reaching a boil and the flames had begun to die down. I removed the pot, setting it on one of the rocks that formed the fire ring. Then I crept back into the tent to awaken my wife.

She was still smiling sweetly in her sleep, and I couldn't help but watch her for a few minutes—she was so lovely. But time and tide wait for no man, so I sighed and gently brushed the hair away from her cheek. Light as my touch was, it was enough to rouse her from her rest, and her eyes fluttered open. Seeing me by her side, her smile broadened and she reached up to caress my cheek. "Good morning," she said in her melodious voice.

I clasped her hand and raised it to my lips for a kiss as I smiled back at her. "Good morning, my love. If you would care to join me, I have some coffee brewing and a fire just about ready to cook some freshly caught fish."

"Oh, that sounds _wonderful_. I seem to have worked up quite an appetite somehow!" she said with an impudent grin. She sat up, yawning as she stretched, the covers slipping away to reveal her bare honey-golden skin, radiant in the early morning sunlight. It was all I could do to keep myself from pulling her back down, but I controlled myself—for the time being, anyway—out of consideration for her present need to satisfy a more prosaic hunger.

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><p>Three days before our wedding, Avani vanished for the day on Marin, her tame Aquaticus clone, to look for potential campsites from the air. That suited me beautifully, as it gave me a day to focus on finishing the rather intricate wedding ring I'd been fashioning for her under Bado's tutelage. Although she was traveling in uncharted territory, I wasn't especially concerned for her well-being, as not only was she one of the mightiest warriors in all Norad, but she was also accompanied by a large, powerful dragon that had become quite attached to her.<p>

And sure enough, just as I returned to her chamber, the completed ring carefully secured within one of the interior pockets of my rucksack, she darted in through her back door. She leaped at me, throwing her arms around my neck. "I found it!" she exclaimed jubilantly. "I found the _perfect_ spot for our honeymoon!"

Laughing, I disentangled myself from her embrace and led her to the sofa. "Tell me all about it," I said with a smile as we sat down together.

Scooting up close to me, she leaned her head against my shoulder. "Well, it's quite a ways south of here. Even as fast as Marin is, it still took a few hours of flying to get there. Of course, we were flying all over the place, rather than heading there directly. We'd nearly reached the mountains that make up the southern and south-western border of the kingdom when I spotted a large lake in the midst of an expanse of forest. It appears not only to be unpopulated, but completely untouched. The trees there looked very old, and the animals I saw were unafraid. Well, of me anyway—they did shy away from Marin. The lake is surrounded by meadows thick with luxuriant grass higher than my knees, and the water looks beautifully clean and pure. Oh, and it was positively _swarming_ with fish—I only spent perhaps fifteen minutes on the shore, and I must have seen at least a dozen large fish leaping while I looked. And it wasn't even an ideal time of day for fishing! I also saw a small herd of hinds and their young, as well as a few large harts keeping watch over them as they came to the lake for a drink on the shore opposite me. There was an abundance of birds and small animals, and while I did see a few monsters, they appeared much less numerous than they are here, and didn't appear to be at all aggressive."

"It sounds ideal," I said, putting my arm around her shoulders and pulling her a little closer. "How long do you think it would take us to reach this Elysian field of yours?"

She thought for a few minutes, rapidly calculating. "I was thinking we could ride Baldur and Fenrir, and take Thor and Charmie as pack animals. Despite her size, Charmie is pretty fast, so she shouldn't have any trouble keeping up. I'd say the lake was not all the way to the south, more like half to two-thirds of the way to the southern border, and near the western border. I think if we take the airship and have it drop us off somewhere nearby—but not _too_ close, since we don't want any unexpected company!—we could reach the lake by early afternoon. Provided that we don't get started too late, that is."

"Well, don't get your hopes up for one of your exceedingly early starts, either, My Lady," I replied with a smile. Then leaning down to nibble at her ear, I whispered, "I fully intend that we shall be _far_ too exhausted to rise even _with_ the sun—let alone before it."

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><p>After breakfast, Avani proposed going for a swim. I agreed and started back to the tent to retrieve my swim trunks. She stopped me, saying with a puzzled look, "Where are you going?"<p>

"Uhh, to get my swimsuit?" I said, feeling suddenly that this was the wrong answer.

She started to laugh. "Leo, my love, there's nobody around for _miles_!" She grabbed my hand and tugged me down towards the shore. She quickly shed her clothing, then stood golden and radiant in the brilliant sunshine at the edge of the lake, where sapphire and emerald met, waiting for me to join her. Casting my own clothing aside, I strode to her side with a broad smile. She took my hand and pulled me farther into the water, then we dove together down into the cool depths.

It was going to be a glorious day.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	51. Chapter 51

**AN:** This chapter is** rated M for lemons/adult content**. All the lemons are at the end of the chapter, though, so **I recommend reading at least until you get to that point**, if you dislike lemons or shouldn't be reading them. Otherwise, the next chapter won't make any sense!

Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think of it the story! It makes my day when someone takes a few seconds to leave a review or message, even if only to say they enjoyed reading it! :D

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><p>"Remind me why I agreed to this?" Avani said as she peered into the entrance of the black cave before her.<p>

I grinned at her. "Because you love adventure and excitement and danger?"

"Oh. Yeah. That's right," she said, grinning back at me. She sighed and hoisted her pack up onto her shoulders. Then she turned to me with a mock scowl. "And I know all about you and caves. So none of your funny business, mister—we've no idea what we might find in there, and we need to keep on our toes."

My grin broadened as I replied, "Does 'on our toes' include…"

"No. It does _not_," she interrupted firmly before slowly edging into the opening, giving her eyes time to adjust from the bright sunlight to the dim interior of the cavern.

Waiting my turn, I looked down the path we'd taken here, back towards the lake where we'd set up camp. From our perch high up on the side of the mountain, the large lake looked like a small but brilliant gem sparkling in the sunshine. We'd ridden Thor up to the cave opening, and left him to graze while he waited for us. Baldur, Fenrir, and Charmie all had remained on guard at our camp.

"Leo? Are you coming?" I turned and saw that she had vanished into the mouth of the cave, her voice echoing faintly as she called to me. Since I had the keen vision of a fox, I didn't bother to adjust them as she had—I just hurried to catch up with her.

Since I could see better in the darkness, I led the way through the caverns as we explored. There was a little light in some of the caves, from openings in the walls of varying sizes—most too small to let anything but light, air, and perhaps insects to pass through. The caves were fascinating, full of stalactites, stalagmites, and other, more peculiar, rock formations.

Deep into the system of caverns, we found a large cave containing a pool of water. A number of fissures along one side of the thick cave wall allowed more than the usual amount of light in, so we decided it was as good a place as any to stop for a rest and a quick meal. We lit a pair of lanterns, and while I rummaged around for the food we'd brought in the light of one lantern, Avani strolled over to inspect the water, carrying the other with her.

I had just started to unwrap the sandwiches we'd packed when suddenly I heard Avani scream, and then as I whirled around, dropping the packet in my hands, I heard a loud splash. I rushed to the pool and found her lantern atop a nearby rock, but there was no sign of her. The glow from the lantern reflecting on the water revealed ripples on the surface, so I quickly shed my sandals and clothing, except for my belt and belt knife, and dove down, thinking that she'd only fallen in.

At least, I _hoped_ that was all it was.

Swimming down into the frigid, dark water was incredibly disorienting, even with my heightened senses. Fortunately, the lantern I'd left on the rock above shone a little ray of light into the water and provided some sense of direction. Just ahead of me, I could barely make out a peculiar form, not quite human and not quite piscine, swimming vigorously. Flung over the creature's shoulder—if indeed it _was_ a shoulder—I could see Avani, struggling to free herself even as the creature swam ever deeper.

Incensed and frantic, I forced my half-numb limbs to their limit, swimming as rapidly as I could after them. Although the creature had an advantage with its fish tail, Avani's struggles seemed to negate some of that advantage, and I began to gain on them. The fish-man dove into an underground cavern and vanished from sight, and I followed.

The cavern was completely dark, but I slowed only a little, not wanting to be ambushed but also running out of air. My keen vision quickly adapted, and I was able to make out dim shapes above me. I swam up towards them, and discovered that the shapes were several of these fish creatures, surrounding a rocky island.

I broke the surface, gasping for air, and saw Avani sprawled on the rocks. I shouted to her, and she lifted her head, to my great relief, but every one of the fish-men turned towards me. I tugged my belt knife free and prepared to defend myself and my wife… or at least die trying. They slowly swam towards me, and I raised my knife, which gave them pause. As they hesitated, Avani shouted out to me, "No! Leo, don't!"

Startled, I nearly dropped my knife. Taking advantage of my momentary distraction, two of the creatures dove in and grasped my arms, pulling me towards the circle. To my surprise, though, they merely tossed me up onto the tiny island next to my wife, who flung her arms around me.

"What in the name of all dragon kind is going on here?" I exclaimed, utterly baffled by this point.

"It's all right, Leo. They don't mean us any harm. They only want our help."

"You… they can _talk_?" I asked incredulously. So far they hadn't seem very conversational.

"Y-yes… in a manner of speaking. They don't speak anything at all like our language, but somehow I'm still able to understand them. Maybe because I'm an Earthmate? I don't know. But I know that they need our help. They need something that only a land-dweller can get, and they need it very badly. That's as far as I'd gotten when you arrived."

"In that case, My Lady, pray continue, before we freeze to death in this wretched hole." I said, more acerbically than I'd intended.

Overlooking my sharp tone, she turned again to the largest of the aquatic folk, who began to emit a sequence of peculiar, high-pitched, jabbering sounds. Several minutes later, she nodded and held out a hand to… him? If the broad shoulders and powerful arms were any indication, they were all males. The creature—apparently a leader of some sort—held a paw up and placed it against hers, palm to palm, then all but two of the strange creatures disappeared, diving back down into the deep water.

Turning to me, she said, "As best I can tell, they are a tribe of some half-human, half-fish—no, not _quite_ a fish… I don't recognize the word they used, but it seems to mean something fish-like. Anyway, their princess is dreadfully sick and dying a slow, painful death. According to their lore, there is a cure—but it requires a flower that can only be obtained near the peak of these mountains. And because they are half fish, they can't leave the water to find it.

"These mountains are full of interconnected lakes and pools in which they live, so they posted a guard at each and every one, hoping against hope that _someone_ would come along that was willing and able to help. But of course, in this unpopulated area…."

"Just how long have they been waiting?" I asked, astonished by her story so far.

"Well, they don't have a way to mark time as we do, but as far as I can estimate, it's been many, many decades. Possibly a century or more."

"How long do they _live_?"

"Again, the time issue… but it _sounds_ like they can live to be several centuries old."

I shook my head in amazement. "And all this time, no one has known of them, living in the deep waters in the roots of the mountains?"

She shrugged. "I guess—it seems that way. Or if anyone _did_ know of them, they've long since been forgotten or possibly relegated to mere myths. Anyway, regardless of all that, they need help—help that only you and I can give them, Leo. The princess… she's very ill, and she won't last much longer. I think we're her last hope."

"Well, then, my love, we can hardly turn our backs on them in their hour of need, can we?"

I could feel her smile as she leaned against my chest. "I knew you'd feel the same way." She rose, and dove into the water. One of the two remaining fish-men swam to her, and she took a deep breath as she clung to his back—then he dove down, carrying her with him. Sheathing my belt knife, I followed suit, clinging to the back of the second fish-man.

When we surfaced, I found I'd been returned to the cavern where we'd first encountered the creatures. Avani was already there, shivering as she stood waiting for me. I threw on my clothes, then we grabbed our supplies and headed back out into the warm sunshine as quickly as we could, wolfing our sandwiches as we hurried. Since we weren't equipped to go in search of this flower immediately, we mounted Thor and returned to camp as quickly as he could take us.

Our teeth were chattering from cold by the time we arrived, so I rushed to build up the fire while Avani went to change into dry clothing. By the time she emerged from the tent, I had a roaring fire going and the coffeepot was just reaching a boil. She sat on one of the collapsible chairs we'd brought with us, and tended to the coffeepot and the fire while I, too, changed into drier clothing. I brought a couple of the smaller blankets from our bed back out with me, draping one over her shoulders and tucking the other in around her lap.

Not liking how peaked she still looked despite the hot fire and the coffee, nor how her teeth continued chattering and how her shivering seemed to have become almost convulsive, I returned to the tent to dig some medicine out of our packs. I made her swallow one of the bitter tablets, and although she grimaced and made faces at me as she gulped her coffee to mask the foul aftertaste, I noticed that she improved almost immediately. Because I, too, felt I was more chilled than was prudent, I took a dose myself, and likewise felt much better afterwards.

Leaving her by the fire to get warm, I dug out a selection of vegetables and herbs from our supplies to make a soup. I wasn't much of a cook, admittedly, except for grilling fish of course. But I'd learned a little from helping her prepare meals and from watching her in the kitchen, and I thought I could manage to produce a simple vegetable soup. I felt that it would be both warming and nourishing after our escapade.

While the soup simmered, we discussed the fish-people's request. She said the flower they'd described to her was a tall spike of small, royal purple flowers that grew in the alpine meadows above the tree line near the peaks. It was also supposed to be mainly a mid-summer bloom, so it was questionable if we'd be able to find it at all—though certainly we'd try.

The next day, we reached the tree line just before noon. We had ridden the wolves up the mountain, since they were both fast and sure-footed over a wide varieties of terrain. Dismounting, we looked across the alpine meadows stretching before us. It was a beautiful sight—large expanses of colorful, low-growing plants spreading like a massive patchwork quilt across the landscape. A small lake occupied a depression on the far side of the meadow, and boulders dotted the field at irregular intervals. A herd of animals similar to woolies, only shaggy rather than fluffy and with great curved horns, grazed alongside the lake, and smaller monsters that reminded me of furbies scampered through the colorful groundcover. A variety of birds flitted through the air or scurried along the ground.

We immediately began to search for spikes of purple flowers, but neither of us spotted any purple flowers at all. Autumn appeared to have arrived early at that altitude. We searched other meadows on other mountains, but after two days of hunting to no avail, it was plain that whatever this flower's season was, we'd missed it entirely. Returning to camp on the evening of the second day, tired and frustrated by our fruitless endeavors, Avani started preparing a stew while I built the fire back up again.

As I sat and tended the fire, I pondered our dilemma. "I wonder if anyone in town would have an alternative to this plant?" I thought aloud after several minutes.

Avani looked up at me, pausing in her preparations as she thought. "Well, Jones or Nancy seem the most likely to know about that. But I really doubt that they know the physiology of fish-people. Maybe medicines and plants that are fine for humans aren't safe for them. But…." she trailed off into silence as she meditatively sliced some carrots.

"But?" I prompted her, a few minutes later.

She started, apparently absorbed in thought. "Oh, well… I was just wondering if anyone might cultivate this flower. I mean, if it has some medicinal use… maybe someone somewhere grows it. I was just thinking I could pop back to Selphia to make some quick inquiries. Arthur might know of someone—he knows so many different people in so many different areas of commerce all around the world."

"But if its season has passed…."

She shook her head. "Its season is based on the weather at high altitudes. If it's cultivated at lower altitudes, that would extend its season. Plus there's always greenhouses, too."

"Yes, good point. Well, My Lady, perhaps that would be a worthwhile effort. Do you want to go in the morning? And shall I accompany you?"

"Yes, I thought I'd leave right after breakfast. I should be able to use escape to return to town—though it'll be a little draining to go so far that way. Then I think I'll ride Marin back—he'll enjoy a swim in the lake before he returns, since even Dragon Lake is a little small for him. As for whether you come with me or not, it's up to you. I don't really need any help asking around, so if you'd prefer to stay and fish or something…."

With a grin, I rose and strolled over to her, wrapping my arms around her waist and kissing her ear. "I think I _would_ rather stay and fish—the fishing here is fantastic. But as for 'something'… the only 'something' that comes to _my_ mind, I just can't do as enjoyably without you." I returned to tending the fire and let her get back to her preparations, but after our meal was finished and the mess cleaned up, I pulled her smilingly along to our tent to remind her—lest she'd forgotten since early that morning—just exactly _which_ things were so much more enjoyable with her participation.

Once inside our tent, I ran my fingers through her long hair as she reached up and traced the marks on my face. I didn't know if the marked skin was just especially sensitive, or if the markings themselves somehow caused a heightened sensitivity, like a charm of some sort, or if it was nothing more than my response to _her_ touch in particular—all I knew was that every time she ran a delicate fingertip along my tattoos, it sent electric shocks exploding through me.

Shivering with pleasure at her touch, I leaned down and nibbled from her ear along her jaw and to her neck as I slid my hands beneath her shirt. I lifted it over her head and off, then reached behind her, caressing her back before unfastening her bra and letting it fall to the ground. She gave a brief shudder as the cool night air rushed over her warm skin, causing her nipples to harden into erect points. Pressing herself into my warmth, she slipped my vest off as she leaned up to invite a kiss—which I was more than happy to give.

Slipping my turban off and dropping it to the ground, she wove her fingers through my hair, pulling me closer to her. "Tell me again how you love me," she whispered into my ear.

Smiling to myself, I slid her trousers and panties to the ground before lifting her up and laying her down on the soft featherbed that took up most of the tent floor. Removing my belt and sliding my trousers and boxers past my hips until they fell alongside her clothing, I stretched out next to her and halfway across her, caressing her shivering skin until her inner heat warmed her.

I kissed her neck and cheek, murmuring throatily, "I love you as the flowers love the sun, as the stars love the moon. I love you as the birds love the sky and the fish love the sea, as the dying love life and as the living love the dying. I love you with a love that puts every other love to shame, with a love that is greater than the sum of all other loves in the history of the world. I love you with every inch and fiber and grain of my being, with all my heart and mind and spirit. I love you as I love the air that I breathe, and I love you forever and for all time. The moon and the sun and the stars in the sky will grow cold and die before my love for you cools. _That_ is how I love you: as only Leon can love Avani."

She reached her arms around my neck, pulling me closer to her. Her lips met mine, and our tongues caressed in a sensual kiss. She held me tightly, one hand tangled in my hair while she lightly ran the nails of her other hand up and down my spine, sending my pulse racing. As my erection pressed more and more insistently into the softness of her thigh, her breathing became increasingly ragged until, at last, she broke free of our kiss and began to urgently kiss and nip at my neck.

Groaning as a wave of heat washed over me, I covered her body with mine and buried my face in her neck, nipping and sucking and tasting her saltiness. Opening herself to me, she entwined her legs with mine as she reached down to guide me. As I pushed into the wetness and heat awaiting me, she grabbed my hips with a gasp, gripping me tightly in her need.

My senses overwhelmed with the intensity of the pleasure she gave to me, I nipped and then bit the tender skin where her neck and shoulder met as I began to thrust, and she cried out my name breathlessly. Desire built upon desire until at last she arched her back, her cries matching the rhythmic convulsions wrapping around me, squeezing me as I thrust deeper and faster into her until I, too, cried out as I issued my release deep into her warm, slippery embrace.

We lay like that for some time, catching our breath, entwined in each other's arms and legs and lips and hair, until the sweat on my back cooled enough to chill me. I reached over to grab the blankets we'd shoved out of the way and pulled them over us before we fell asleep, still tangled together.

Before drifting into slumber, she reached a still-tremorous hand up to caress my cheek. "I love you, too, as only Avani can love Leo," she whispered drowsily, then sleep overtook us both.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	52. Chapter 52

**AN:** I hope you enjoy today's chapter! I'd love to hear what you think as I begin to veer more and more sharply away from canon! :)

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><p>The next morning, as soon as we'd cleared up from breakfast, Avani kissed me farewell. Then she incanted the escape spell, and in a flash of light, she was gone. I sat and stared at the empty place where she'd stood only moments before, finally rising with a sigh some time later. I found that fishing had lost all its appeal after her departure, but not wanting to just sit around and mope all day, I called Fenrir to me.<p>

Although Avani was the one who had tamed the fierce golden wolf, he had nevertheless attached himself to me, especially since that month when she spiraled so near to madness after Venti's death. Baldur had been jealous of his barn-mate before—his devotion, affection, and loyalty to his mistress ran deep—and he'd made every effort to ensure that Fenrir knew his place. But when Fenrir began to focus his affection on me rather than Avani, Baldur relaxed his guard, and soon the two wolves were boon companions, to such an extent that they were virtually inseparable. So naturally, when I called Fenrir, both wolves appeared. I instructed Thor and Charmie to keep an eye on the campsite, and mounting the Fenrir, we rode off towards the mountains. I decided that, to help pass the time until my wife returned, I'd search the subalpine woods in the hopes that perhaps a stray bloom or two might be found.

The trees at that altitude had very little in the way of undergrowth, which made searching for any sign of the brilliant purple flowers that much easier. I was searching on and around a massive nurse log when from behind me I heard Fenrir give a low, warning growl, quickly joined by Baldur. I spun around, and saw a short ways away a man. Standing stock still with his back against a large tree, he stared wide-eyed at the wolves, who stood between him and me, hackles raised and ears flattened as they snarled at him. I walked over to stand between the two wolves, calling to him, "Who are you, and what is your business here?"

His eyes grew even larger as he examined me—no doubt startled by my vulpine features. Pressing back against the tree trunk, he stammered in a raspy, thickly-accented voice, "A-are you a-a god? A wolf-god?"

I stared at him for a moment, then laughed heartily. "No, I'm a man, neither more nor less." I looked him over as he slowly relaxed, still eyeing the wolves nervously, though they had quieted at my approach. His was the face of an elderly man—leathery and wrinkled with age and exposure. His hair and eyes were pale grey-green, the color of the sage herb, and he wore simple but slightly tattered clothing. His skin was tanned to a deep golden brown, and he carried a gnarled walking stick and a battered rucksack. From a leather belt about his waist hung a variety of small pouches.

"Green hair again? I had believed it was an uncommon shade, but it seems I may have been mistaken. I thought these lands were unpopulated—are you from these parts?"

"You… _you_ thought _green hair_ was unusual?" he said incredulously, looking up at my ears and then down at my tail.

I gave him a wry smile. "Touché. Tell me, are there others in the area? Or are you just passing through?"

"I am the servant of my people's healer. He has sent me to scour the wildlands for herbs for his medicines, as his stock was running low on certain things that are not so readily available near our home. My tribe does not live near these mountains, but several days' journey to the south and east of here."

My ears pricked up at that. "Herbs, eh? Tell me, I've been searching for a particular plant that I hear can be found on these mountains, near the peaks. It's a low-growing plant with spikes of small, deep purple blooms, and it has some medicinal value. Do you know of it, and if so, where I might find it so late in the season?"

He thought for a moment, then said, "I believe you mean the flower we call adri dala—cloudwort in your language. It has some medicinal properties, I believe, but we only rarely use it ourselves. However, I have seen it growing in the mountain meadows here, though never this late in the season."

I sighed. "Well, thank you anyway for your help. I feared that was the case." I started to turn away, when the old man made a startled exclamation.

"Sir, please wait! Did you… did you say you'd seen others with green hair? Are they around here? Perhaps they are some of my tribe."

I shook my head. "I doubt it. There are two ladies in my hometown that have green hair and eyes. And neither of them speaks with your accent."

"Ahh, too bad. Still, perhaps they are distantly related—green hair tends to run in families, I think."

"I suppose that could be. Well, thanks again. May your hunt be rewarding," I said, turning to mount Fenrir.

"Oh, sir—one last word. Pray tell where you are from? In case I should stumble across some unseasonable cluster of cloudwort, so that I may get it to you."

I looked at him speculatively—his offer was kind, but there was an odd light in his eyes that made me hesitate. "I doubt you'd be able to get it to me in time, as I live on the northern border. But I thank you for your offer."

Again I turned away, and again he called out to me. "The northern border? What towns lie so near the frozen northlands of the Sechs Empire?"

Frowning at his persistent inquisitiveness, I said, "Selphia is its name, but again, it's too far from here to matter even if you did find any cloudwort. Thank you again for your help, but I'd best be going. Pleasant journeys." Then I finally succeeded in mounting Fenrir and heading back to camp.

When I arrived at camp some little while later, Avani had already returned and was pacing anxiously to and fro, watching for my return. She ran to meet me, throwing her arms around me as soon as I leaped down from Fenrir's back.

"I think I've found it!" she exclaimed joyfully as I returned her embrace. Leading me back towards the fire that she'd built up while waiting for me, she continued. "First I asked Nancy and Jones. They'd never heard of a medicinal plant like I described, so I went to Arthur next. Unfortunately, he'd never heard of it either, though he said he'd ask around. But as I was discussing it with him, Raven happened to stop by. She heard me describing it to him, and after he said he'd never heard of it, she commented that she thought she might have. She's from Sharance, you know, which is up in the mountains a ways north of here. It seems that their village healer cultivates some of the harder-to-find species of medicinal plant, and apparently healers from all over the country buy them from her. Oh, and you'll never guess what it's called!"

"Cloudwort?" I asked, grinning at the look of slack-jawed astonishment on her face.

"How…?"

"You finish your story first, then I'll tell you mine," I instructed her.

Looking bewildered, she paused for a moment before continuing. "A-anyway, she said she'd talk to the healer tonight when she goes home, and I'm to meet up with her tomorrow morning to see if she succeeded in laying her hands on some. If she doesn't… if she was mistaken, or if the healer doesn't have any… I don't know what we'll do." She bit her lip and furrowed her brow as she thought about it.

"We don't have a choice in the matter, my love. Remember what you said Xiao told you while we were piecing together Maria's message? Sometimes you can try and try and try and _still_ fail—and that's okay, because at least you _tried_. If Raven can't get it, and if Arthur's contact don't turn anything helpful up, then we won't have a choice but to wait until next summer."

"But… but that might be too late!" she exclaimed in dismay.

"Yes, it might. But at least we're trying, love. If we hadn't stumbled across that lake, they might have been waiting in vain for someone to help them clear up until the day she died, each day feeling more hopeless than the last. At least now they have a ray of hope."

She sighed and leaned against me as we sat before the fire, thinking our individual thoughts in silence. After a few minutes she sat up and looked at me. "Oh—so how is it that you knew the name of that flower?"

I gave her a brief summary of my meeting with the strange old man and his search for medicinal herbs. "So it's just possible that he'd spot some, too!" she exclaimed in excitement. "Did you tell him where to find our camp?"

Hesitating briefly, I admitted, "No… I didn't. To be honest, he made me uncomfortable. There was something strange about him—a shiftiness in his eyes that I didn't like. In fact, I was thinking that we should return to town. It's lovely here, but… well, to be honest, I feel as though our privacy has been shattered. I only have his word as to what he was doing in the mountains, after all—for all I know, his purposes are far less noble than those he gave. And I also only have his word that he's alone. So depending on how things go tomorrow, I think we should break camp and return home tomorrow, or the next day at the latest. But," I added as she protested her disappointment, "let's be sure to come back next summer for a longer trip. We can bring some others with us, if you would like, or come by ourselves. Whatever you like."

She sighed and leaned back against me. "I… I suppose you're right. It wouldn't even have occurred to me to doubt him, honestly. I would have just taken what he said at face value."

I put my arms around her as I replied with a smile, "Your generous, trusting nature is one of the many things I find so endearing about you. Don't ever change that, My Lady."

The next morning, she again returned to Selphia to meet with Raven. I stayed behind, and this time I did in fact go fishing—one last morning of fishing before our departure. I hadn't slept well that night, constantly on my guard, listening to and analyzing every little sound I heard.

I returned to camp an hour or so later with a fine string of large, fat fish and set to cleaning them. I was almost done when I spotted Marin overhead, racing across the sky like a shooting star. He descended in a wide spiral over the lake, finally landing on the shore as I hurried down to meet them. Avani slid down from his neck, and he slithered off and dove down into the lake, presumably for a swim and a meal.

From her triumphant demeanor, I assumed she'd met with success, though admittedly her natural exuberance could make it tricky to be certain at times. However, I was correct that time at least, as she held aloft a bundle of vividly purple flower stalks as she ran up to me with a huge grin on her face. "Well done, My Lady, well done indeed," I said as I lifted her up in a bear hug. "I was just finishing cleaning some fish when you returned, so let's have our meal and head up to the cave as soon as we've finished."

We ate our fill of sizzling grilled fish, feeding the raw, boned fillets I'd set aside earlier to the monsters as we cooked. Then we cleaned up our campsite and, mounting the wolves, headed up the mountain towards the cave.

Once there, we retraced our path to the pool deep in the caverns. Kneeling at the edge of the water, Avani lit a lantern and held it aloft. A few moments later, one of the fish-people broke the surface and swam over to her.

Even with the lantern, the cave was dimly lit; however, it was still bright enough for my eyes to see the creature more clearly than before. His head and torso were certainly human-like, but also definitely _not_ human. On either side of his short, thick neck was a set of small fins, and if he had ears, they were not visible. His unblinking eyes were unusually large, and his nose was flattened almost out of existence. His teeth, when he opened his mouth, were more like the sharp, fine teeth of a fish than those of a terrestrial creature. His head was covered with long, flowing, hair-like strands that did not appear to be quite exactly hair, but rather nearer to some long, delicate tendrils or filaments. Short spikes protruded from his elbows, and when he extended his hand in greeting to us, I saw that his short fingers were heavily webbed and ended in short claws rather than nails.

After pressing his hand against first Avani's and then mine, he proceeded to address he with a series of the unusual clicks and shrill squawks of which their language appeared to be comprised. Avani nodded her head, somehow understanding their alien tongue. She grinned at the fish-man, and he grimaced in what appeared to be an attempt to mimic her smile. She reached into her pack and pulled the bundle of flowers out, handing them over to him. He took them almost reverently, then with another outburst of his speech, he dove down into the pool, vanishing from sight.

She turned to me and smiled as she sat down on the rocky floor of the cave. "He asked us to wait here until he returns. He says it will take a little time, but to please be patient."

I sat down close to her and put an arm around her. "Hmm… however shall we pass the time while we wait?" I murmured, breathing into her ear.

She giggled as she leaned into me, saying, "And what if he returns earlier than expected?"

Pulling her onto my lap, I said, "Well, love, just how do you suppose they get more little fish-men and fish-women?"

She laughed her musical laugh as she caressed my bare chest with one of her hands. "Then in that case…" and she reached her hand up behind my neck and pulled my face to hers.

Some time later, we were sitting spent and entwined, me with my back against a large stalagmite a little ways from the pool, and her still straddling my lap, when we heard a splash in the water. We quickly rose, adjusted our clothing, and brushed the dust off our legs as we hurried back over to the pool. Avani again knelt at the edge of the water, while I stood behind her.

The same fish-man as before was there, and another waited beside him—larger, stronger, and older in appearance, he seemed to be a leader of some sort. He looked up at Avani and me, then both of them slapped the surface of the water with their tails as they lowered their heads. Rocking back on her heels in surprise at this peculiar display, Avani waited to see what happened next. The older fish-man looked up at her and began to speak in his language. After a moment, she began to translate for me.

"He says that he is the king of this tribe, and the sick princess is his eldest daughter and his heir. Their healer has already made the medicine and given it to her, and he says that already she has begun to show improvement. He further say that his gratitude knows no bounds, as he is greatly attached to his daughter. However, resources are scarce in these cavernous lakes, so his ability to express his appreciation for our efforts is limited. He therefore offers, as tokens of his gratitude, these two charms, carved long ago by a master of the craft when their magic was still powerful."

Each fish-man placed an item into her outstretched hands, which she then examined before passing them to me. Both were carved of gemstones. One was a fat fish carved from a beautiful, translucent stone that, as far as I could determine in the poor light, was a pale green shade. The other was a circular flattened cabochon carved out of some opaque, dark blue stone, with a compass rose carved into the top surface.

While I examined the charms, the fish-king continued to speak to Avani, and she continued to translate for me. The fish-shaped charm, she said, would bring luck in fishing—just wear it on the hand that holds the pole or attach it directly to the pole itself. The round charm would bring us safety from any aquatic creature—upon seeing it, all such creatures would restrain from directly harming the bearer and all who accompanied him or her.

As we conveyed our appreciation to the king, another creature broke the surface of the water. I looked over to see a fish-_woman_ swimming towards us, and as repulsive as the males of the species were, was she as lovely. Dusky rose hair spread out on the surface of the dark water as she emerged, her lithe, rose-pink tail undulating gracefully. Her face was very human and superlatively beautiful, with a generous mouth and large, violet eyes thickly framed with long lashes, and she wore a strand of smooth pearls around her elegant, slender neck. When she reached the edge of the pool, she hoisted herself up to sit on the rocky border, strands of her long, damp hair curving delicately around her full, round breasts. Her figure tapered to a tiny waist, then swelled into the curves of her smooth, pink tail. She held out a slender, graceful hand, pressing her palm to ours in greeting, then flipped her long, roseate hair over her shoulders, displaying delicate ears adorned with tiny, creamy pearls.

Looking first at me and then at Avani, she spoke in a mellifluous voice, using our language. "It was my wish to thank you personally for the service you have rendered me. I had all but despaired of aid when you arrived, and knowing the passage of seasons, I felt fresh despair that you wouldn't find the necessary reagent before my demise. The illness was a gradual wasting disease—fortunately, my recovery has been as rapid as the sickness was slow, and I am already nearly fully recovered. You have my gratitude and the gratitude of my people. Should we ever be able to render you a service in return, we will gladly do so."

Then with that, the three fish-folk dove back down into the water, each thrashing their tail in a final farewell before disappearing, leaving only a mass of ripples behind. We watched until the ripples dispersed, then made our way out into the waning sunlight. Mounting our wolves, we returned to camp.

The next day, we broke camp and headed back to Selphia. Since we were travelling solely by ground, we spread our journey out over a few days, moving at a more relaxed pace. When we finally reached the town, we'd been away for almost two weeks—two very enjoyable, idyllic weeks.

Now it was time to settle down and begin our new life together.

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><p><em>Some weeks later, in the chilly light of the late winter moon at midnight, two figures met deep in the dense, tropical forest: one tall and powerfully built, the other short and wizened, both male. The shorter figure crept slavishly up to the tall man, and hissed in a low, rasping voice, "My Lord, I think I have word of <em>her_ at last!"_

"_Speak, then," the other said in a rich baritone voice, folding his arms over his chest as he waited impatiently._

"_In my travels, I met a man—a very strange man, with the ears and tail of a dog. He exclaimed over my green hair, and said in his hometown there was not one but _two_ women with green hair and eyes."_

"_And? Is that all you have for me?" the younger man said scornfully._

"_That was all I could get from him, my Lord—he was cagey and wily! He doubted my story, I could see, though it was true enough. And I dared not follow him—he was guarded by two vicious wolves as large as horses, perhaps even larger!"_

_Snarling a derisive oath, the tall man raised his foot as if to kick the groveling figure before him, who held up one hand in supplication as he covered his head with the other. "Wait! Wait, my Lord! There _is_ one other thing I learned!"_

_Pausing, his foot poised in mid-air, he growled, "Well?"_

"_Selphia, my Lord! The man is from the town of Selphia on the northern border, where the Dragon Ventuswill resides! That… that is suggestive, isn't it, my Lord?"_

_Returning his foot to the ground, the tall man turned and gazed towards the north. A slow, cruel smile spread across his sensuous lips, and he said, as if to himself, "Yes… yes, it is indeed suggestive."_

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	53. Chapter 53

**AN:** Sorry for the later-than-usual post! I hope you enjoy today's chapter—please let me know what you think of it! This is what I consider to be the beginning of part 2 of my story; soon there will be an influx of OC's, maybe as soon as next week. :)

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><p>One day near the end of fall, Barrett brought his children to Selphia. His divorce had been finalized some time ago, and sadly, he saw his children only infrequently. However, his ex-wife apparently had just remarried, and so their children had come to stay with him while she and her new husband went on their honeymoon trip, which was to last several days. His son looked to be about ten years of age, give or take a little, and was a solemn, steady fellow—much like his father. His daughter, however, looked like she was close to three years, and she was an adorable little bundle of mischief.<p>

I had long since recovered from my previous envy of the scholar. In fact, the three of us were all good friends by this time, and we often spent an evening of dining and discussion together. We usually gathered at our home in the castle, although Barrett had purchased a small but cozy house on Melody Street, and he occasionally invited us to join him there.

The first evening that he had his kids with him, Avani invited them to come to supper. While the three adults sat and talked, Leonel quietly read, quite the budding young scholar. But his little sister swarmed all over the place, running through the rooms and up and down the stairs with a reckless abandon, shrieking with glee as she explored every nook and cranny. Even though she'd only been with him for the day, Barrett already appeared at his wit's end.

Seeing his bemusement, Avani proposed that he, Leonel, and I walk over and have a leisurely dinner at Porcoline's restaurant, while she stayed there with Yuri. Barrett seemed concerned, but she laughingly assured him that seeing she'd conquered dragons, demons, and even one powerful madman with aspirations of godhood, she could surely amuse a three-year old girl for a few hours. Besides, she said, cutting short his protest, she could see that he needed a break. He looked at me, but I just shrugged, then grabbed our coats and tossed his to him. "If she says go, you go. You don't argue with Avani," I said, looking at her with a grin. She just rolled her eyes and shooed us out the door with a laugh, closing it quickly behind us to keep the warmth inside.

Hesitating, Barrett looked worriedly at the door. "Will she be okay, do you think?"

I thumped him on the back with a grin. "Buck up, old man. She'll be fine. Avani won't let any harm come to her—you can depend on that."

He turned a startled face to me. "I meant, will _Avani_ be okay," he said in surprise. I just stared at him, nonplussed.

We lingered over our meal and coffee afterwards, then I ordered two slices of chocolate cake to take to Avani and Yuri. The sun had set, and twilight had all but given way to the darkness of night as we left the restaurant. When we reached the back door, the house was dark and still. I opened the door uneasily, and took a look around as Barrett anxiously pushed his way past me. I lit the lamp on the bedside table, illuminating the main chamber with a golden glow.

There in one of the big, comfortable chairs next to the unlit fireplace sat Avani, with little Yuri cuddled up to her on her lap. Both were sound asleep, and a storybook lay open on the floor, apparently having slipped from her grasp. As the three of us stood quietly watching them, Yuri stirred in her sleep, then turned and flung her arms around Avani, nestling her cheek against her chest as she settled back into a sound sleep. It was such a charming sight, I was loathe to disturb them.

But Barrett was fatigued from his unusually busy day and wanted to get the children settled down for the night, so he carefully lifted his small daughter into his arms. She reached her arms sleepily around his neck, resting her cheek on his shoulder without fully waking. Avani's eyes flew open, startled at the sudden loss of her small companion. Seeing us standing there, she rose with a yawn and a stretch. She smiled a beautiful, tender smile at the sleeping child, saying quietly, "Did you guys have fun? Yuri was no trouble at all. Soon after you left, I fed her some creamy noodles, carrots, and a fruit smoothie. After dinner, we played for a little bit, then she asked for a story. She fell asleep while I was reading to her, and I guess I must have dozed off soon after."

Barrett looked surprised. "You mean… she didn't break anything? Or have any tantrums?" When Avani shook her head, he smiled a half smile, saying, "You must have a way with kids, then. Thank you. I appreciate the break."

She smiled broadly at him. "Any time, Barrett. I had a lot of fun with her. She's a sweet girl, and very bright. Just let me know if you'd like me to watch your kids again for you—I'd be delighted to."

"I just might take you up on that," he said as he turned to head out the door and to his home.

The next morning, Barrett stopped by to ask Avani if she would watch the kids for a couple of hours, as he had a meeting with Arthur and couldn't bring them with him. She cheerfully agreed, and Yuri bounced happily over to her, smiling with delight. Leonel, on the other hand, scowled at her and then at his father. "I don't _want_ to stay with Avani, Dad," he protested resentfully, folding his arms across his chest. "Mom says it's all _her_ fault that you guys got divorced. I _hate_ her! She ruined everything!"

"Leonel Spenser!" Barrett reprimanded him angrily in his booming voice. "Apologize right this minute! That is no way to speak to a lady!"

Avani placed a hand on his arm. "No, it's okay, Barrett. Don't blame him—he's only repeating what he's been told. He doesn't know any better." She turned and looked down at the sullen boy glaring angrily at her. She crouched down next to him, looking him eye to eye. "I'm very sorry about what happened with your family, Leonel. Your dad and I are quite fond of each other, but _only_ as good friends—nothing more. I had nothing at all to do with your parents' divorce."

"I don't believe you," the boy said angrily, then he turned and fled swiftly out the door into the courtyard.

"Leonel!" Avani and Barrett both shouted after him, but he ignored them and sped out the town gates into the wilderness.

"Watch Yuri, will you? I'd better go look for him," Barrett called as he ran after his son.

Avani looked at me, her brow furrowed in concern. "I think we'd better help him, Leo. Three sets of eyes are better than one, and I have a feeling he isn't going to make it easy for us to find him. You saw how fast he was—he would have been long out of sight by the time Barrett reached the plains. I'll ask Clorica to watch Yuri, if you'll go grab our gear. We'd better be prepared for combat, just in case." Then lifting the small, bewildered girl in her arms, she set off towards the butlers' quarters.

She returned a few minutes later, just as I was buckling my heavy boots and shrugging into my armor. Avani quickly suited up, and we followed behind. We had no idea where either Leonel or Barrett might be, so as we started down the path out of town, Avani thought out loud. "If I were Leonel… if I were a kid that was mad at my parents and hurt and resentful… where would I go? I think I'd want someplace to hide away, someplace that was not easy to find me—just to make it more difficult for whoever was looking for me. And I might even pick someplace dangerous, without really thinking it through, just because that danger would make it even harder. It would also need to be someplace he'd know about, even though he's not familiar with the area, and that he could find…." Then she looked at me in a panic, the blood draining from her face. "Oh, gods and dragons, Leo. He'll go to Leon Karnak! An unarmed, untrained, ten-year-old boy, alone on the tower. We have to hurry!" And with that, she bolted down the path leading west.

As we paused at the gate to the haunted manor house to catch our breath, I put an arm around her shoulders. Her adrenaline response was such that I could feel her shaking through her armor, even after her run. "Stay calm, My Lady. We don't know for sure that's where he is. Barrett may even have found him by this time and returned to the castle."

She shook her head and looked up at me, still panting as she tried to catch her breath. "Think about it, Leo. From the city gates, for as far as you can see, there's nothing that really stands out on the horizon—only woods and distant mountains and the occasional clearing or lake. _Except_ Leon Karnak. It rises so high, he'd be able to see it from anywhere for miles around and make his way to it. And he would almost certainly have heard about it from his dad. Unless he's run into trouble on the way there, I'm _sure_ that's where we'll find him. I just hope…." She trailed off, biting her lip, then dashed off at a run again towards the tower.

The exterior of Leon Karnak was surrounded with terraces, most of which were connected by ladders, though some used ramps or even warp points. When we arrived at the base of the tower, there was—as usual—no sign of life. After hunting around the base with growing desperation, Avani flung herself at the ladder to the first terrace, climbing it rapidly despite her cumbersome armor and weapons.

The lower terraces were largely populated by tough gangs of goblins, whose weapons of choice were throwing knives. Quickly dispatching them and inspecting the terrace to no avail, we climbed to another terrace. Then another, and another. Finally we stood at the base of the ramp leading up to the lair of the grimoire, a species of dragon particularly known for its cruelty and intelligence. Just as Avani started up the ramp, we heard the dragon bellow in rage, and a terrified scream.

Moving as if she'd suddenly sprouted wings, she flew up the ramp. I followed as quickly as I could, arriving just in time to see her dive between a small, hunched up figure and an infuriated grimoire already in mid-attack. Unable to alter its course, it came heavily down on her, its thick neck knocking her to the side. I dove in and snatched up the boy before it could regroup and claim its prey. Avani shouted to me, "Leo, he's hurt! Get him to the clinic! I'll hold the grimoire off while you get away, and join there you as soon as I can—go!"

I hated to leave her, but I could see blood soaking the child's clothing. So without further ado, I cast escape until we were back at the city gates, then rushed him to Jones. The doctor took one look at him, then shouted for Nancy, who came running down the stairs from their second-floor home. Grimly, they set to work, peeling away tattered and bloodied clothing, cleaning and stitching his many wounds. They hadn't waited for the analgesic to take effect, not wanting to delay, and the poor boy cried out and shook from the pain until finally the medication numbed him.

They were nearly finished when Barrett burst in, pale with shock. Leonel was all but unconscious from exhaustion and medication, but he managed to give his dad a weak smile before slipping into oblivion. Barrett knelt next to him, holding his hand tightly as Jones and Nancy applied salves and medicated ointments to the burns and wounds. After they left, he told me that upon his return to town, he'd been informed of our return by the guard on duty at the gate, and he'd rushed over as fast as he could.

I filled him in on Avani's intuition, and how we found him about to be devoured by a grimoire. Then I realized how long it had been since I'd fled with the boy, and still she hadn't returned. I began to feel the first stirrings of concern, and told Barrett that she should be back by now, and that I was concerned that she wasn't. Standing quickly, I took my leave of him to go in search of her.

I returned to the tower Karnak and climbed the terraces just as I had done several hours before—dodging monsters when I could, for the sake of speed, and fighting only when it was unavoidable. Soon I reached the ramp to grimoire's lair, and with serious misgivings, I mounted the ramp to its perch.

When I reached the top, I found the grimoire collapsed on the floor of its lair, unconscious but not quite dead. I quickly dispatched it, sending it back to the forest of beginnings, and looked around. After several minutes of searching through the mists that enshrouded the aerie, I tripped on something on the ground. Bending down to take a closer look, I found it was Avani's leg. My heart stopped as I threw my spear and shield aside and bent over her. After a moment, I found she was alive—but only just. She was breathing, even if her breathing was ragged and shallow; her heart was beating, even if weakly. I gathered her up gently in my arms and cast escape to return to town, rushing to the clinic yet again.

Jones looked grave as he examined her, and I felt my chest tighten at the look on his face. She was battered almost beyond recognition, and her skin and clothing were slashed and scorched. A massive dent in her armor looked as if it would have broken her ribs, it was so deep, and her hair was matted with sticky, half-dried blood. The physician sat down and looked up at me. "Well, she's in pretty bad shape. I can't do much for her in her present condition—she'd go into shock, and that could possibly kill her. So as unorthodox as it is, I'd like to ask you to heal her. If you can magically repair the damage to her internal organs and restore some strength to her, I can take over and finish the job."

I knelt next to her, taking her hand in mine and leaning forward to rest my forehead lightly against her chest. Alarmed at how much more shallow her breathing had become in the few minutes since I'd found her, I closed my eyes and cast a healing spell, then another and yet another. I had no energy left after three incantations, after all the fighting I'd done earlier. But it was enough. I felt her chest heave, and she coughed and choked, gasping for air. Jones moved in quickly and began to work over her, and I moved out of the way. Nancy arrived a moment later, having settled Leonel as comfortably as she could, and shooed me out to wait in the front room so that they had space to work.

Barrett was out front now, too, sitting in one of the chairs in the waiting area. I threw myself down into the chair next to his, burying my face in my hands. After a couple of minutes of silence, he awkwardly patted my shoulder. "Hey," he said, somewhat uncertainly, "she'll be okay. She's a strong woman—she'll pull through. I'm sure of it."

I just shook my head without raising it. "You didn't see her, Barrett. I've never seen her hurt so badly before. I've never seen _anyone_ hurt so badly. Jones… he even asked me to cast healing spells on her, because she was too badly injured for him to do anything for her. I cast as many as I could, until I had nothing left—no more energy for spellcasting. I should have gone right back. I shouldn't have left her in the first place. I should have been there to protect her."

He remained silent for a few moments, digesting what I'd told him. "I know I'm not really in a position to offer much comfort. I mean, it's my fault—or my son's fault, which is essentially the same thing—that she's so badly hurt. But I do know you can't just beat yourself up over what's already been said or done. You can't be there for her all day, every day. And you know she wouldn't want you to… to fight her battles for her. She's strong and independent, and I know that _you_ know she would feel smothered if you tried to keep her out of harm's way all the time. Even if somehow the unthinkable happens and she doesn't pull through… you _know_ she wouldn't want you to blame yourself for what happened. She takes responsibility for her own actions, she doesn't blame others for the outcome."

I sighed, still clutching my head. "I… I know. But…."

Before I could finish my sentence, Jones stepped out. His normally pristine lab coat was splattered with fine flecks of red, and he looked exhausted, as if he, too, had been in heavy combat. He rubbed his bloodshot eyes tiredly as he walked towards me, then he looked down at me solemnly. I jumped up from my seat, on tenterhooks as I waited with bated breath for him to give me the news, whether good or ill.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	54. Chapter 54

**AN:** There are some allusions in this chapter to the events recounted in my one-shot titled _Three Little Words_. If you haven't read it, it's probably not _critical_ to understanding this chapter—but you might enjoy it all the same, if you care to wander over and have a look-see. As always, I sincerely thank you for reading my fic, and I'd _love_ to hear from you! Reviews make me smile! :D

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><p>Empty, lifeless, sea-green eyes, thickly fringed with near-black lashes, stared up at the sky. I gathered her up in my arms, the aching emptiness consuming me from within as I howled my grief to the universe.<p>

I awoke with a start and found that I'd fallen asleep with my head resting on her chest, where, to my immeasurable relief, her heart beat even more strongly than the last time I'd listened. Her hand was still enfolded in mine—even in our sleep, neither of us had let go of the other. I sat up, and looked into a pair of stricken azure eyes staring at me from across her bed.

"Is… is she going to be okay?" Leonel asked in a barely audible whisper.

I smiled sympathetically at him as I nodded. "Yes. She just needs rest—lots and lots of rest—right now. She'll be fine."

His shoulders slumped as he breathed a sigh of relief. "She… she _saved_ me. Even though I said I hated her, she _still_ saved me. That big dragon was… I think it was going to eat me. I was so scared, I couldn't even move."

I hadn't noticed him before, but now I saw Barrett leaning against the doorway. He straightened up and stepped over to his son, kneeling down next to him and putting his arm around his thin shoulders. Leonel leaned against his dad, then went on. "She dived right between me and the dragon just as it was about to chomp me. That… that's the last thing I remember, until I woke up when you were running down the street, carrying me here."

I nodded. "You blacked out. Perfectly reasonable thing to do."

"That dragon… it almost killed her, didn't it? And it would've been all _my_ fault if she'd died. Why'd she do that? Why would she risk her life like that, after I was so mean to her?"

"Because she cares," I replied simply, glancing down at my sleeping wife, feeling so full of love and tenderness for her that I felt like I might burst.

He blinked in surprise at my reply, and thought for a minute. "Mom was wrong about her," he said matter-of-factly, looking up at his dad.

Barrett hesitated, then nodded. "Yes. She was wrong." He sighed, then stroking Leonel's hair, he said, "You're old enough, son, to know that sometimes it's easier for people to believe a lie than to deal with the truth. And that's what happened with your mom. It was just easier for her to blame Avani—who was innocent—than to deal with the _real_ problem."

"What _was_ the real problem, Dad? Why couldn't you and Mom stay married?" he asked, a little tremulously.

Staring over Leonel's head at nothing, Barrett didn't answer right away. After a few minutes, he closed his eyes and said, "In the end, we just couldn't make each other happy. So your mom decided to leave, so that she could be free to be happy."

"I guess that's why she married Marco, isn't it? Because he makes her happy?" Barrett nodded, and he looked at his dad curiously. "What about _you_, Dad? Are you happier now, too?"

Barrett looked in surprise at him. "I… don't know, son. I haven't figured that out yet." Then he ruffled the boy's hair and stood up, saying, "Come on. You've had your visit, now let's go and let Avani sleep in peace. You can talk to her when she's feeling stronger."

Leonel nodded and rose, and they quietly left, raising their hands to me in silent farewell.

All in all, Avani slept for thirty-nine hours. I stayed by her side the whole time, waiting and watching as her wounds mended. I could, of course, have simply healed her once my energy had replenished… but after consulting with Jones and Nancy, I decided against it. She'd clearly been through quite an ordeal, though we didn't yet know the details, and allowing her a period of rest and recuperation seemed prudent. So I kept watch over her as she slept and recovered, her bruises darkening even more dramatically before finally beginning to fade, the stitched-up gashes healing, the swelling going down.

When she awoke, she opened her eyes and looked around, confused by her surroundings. Then she saw me and relaxed as she saw me smiling down at her. "Welcome back, My Lady," I said, giddy with relief.

She thought for a moment, then smiled back at me, saying in a hoarse whisper, "I'm home, Leo."

My throat constricted at her response, leaving me unable to voice any of the millions of things I wanted to say to her, so I made do with simply wrapping my arms around her as tightly as I dared.

It was a couple more days before she was allowed to go home, and she spent a great deal of that time asleep. But by the time she was released into my care—with strict instructions to stay in bed for another day or two at least—she was at least able to eat simple foods such as broth and porridge and to walk around, though she still needed a little help from time to time.

Back in our home, I kept her tucked into bed and waited on her. Not being much of a cook, I arranged with Porcoline to send food over each day. In addition, many of the townsfolk stopped by, dropping off food for us and looking in to see how she was doing. It seemed that word of her adventure had spread quickly.

The first evening back in our home, after things had settled down a little for the day, Barrett stopped by with his kids. Yuri was distraught to see her beloved princess so badly hurt and bed-ridden, but Avani allowed her to climb up onto the bed and cuddle up to her while they visited, which made her feel a little better. Barrett, too, looked concerned, though he seemed glad that she'd improved as much as she had since he'd first seen her after her ordeal.

Leonel, though, hung back a little, shy and repentant. Nevertheless, Avani saw him half-hidden behind his dad and called to him. He stepped up to her, although he kept his eyes on the floor. She looked him over, then reached an arm out and pulled him into a relieved hug. "You look _much_ better—I'm so glad. How do you feel?" she asked him, looking into his flushed face.

A little tear escaped the corner of his eye, and he mumbled that he was fine in reply. A sob caught in his throat, and then he threw his arms around her neck, unaware of her pained wince. She only reached out and patted his back, though, and gave no other indication of her discomfort as she soothed him.

"I-I'm so sorry," he said, his voice choked with sobs and muffled as he buried his face in her shoulder. "My mom was all wrong about you. I shouldn't have listened to her. It's all my fault that you got hurt so bad. I should have believed Dad—and you."

"It's okay, Leonel," Avani reassured him. "I'll be fine in a few more days, you'll see. I'm sure I look worse than I feel right now. Don't blame yourself—you weren't to know. She's your _mother_, after all, and it's only right for you to love her and to listen to her. I'm sure she didn't _mean_ to cause any harm." He sat up and sniffled loudly as he nodded. "So are we friends now?" she asked him with a smile.

He smiled back at her through his tears, and nodded. "Friends!" he exclaimed. He bumped fists with her, then stood up and looked at his dad, who smiled and gave a satisfied nod of his head as he reached out to ruffle the boy's hair.

Avani looked over to me, smiling. "I _could_ be mistaken," she said, "But I _think_ we have the fixings for hot chocolate out in the kitchen, I think even some whipping cream. If you wouldn't mind, Leo?"

I grinned at her, reaching for Yuri and lifting her up. "I think I can _just_ about handle that." As I took the kids into the kitchen to make them hot drinks, Barrett grabbed the chair I'd placed near the bed and pulled it over to sit down by her side.

While I heated the milk, measured the sugar, and shaved the block of chocolate, Leonel read to Yuri from a book of legends that I'd left sitting on the bedside table. Meanwhile, Barrett talked with Avani, thanking her for rescuing his son. I finished up making the hot chocolate and topped it with dollops of freshly whipped cream. I left them at the kitchen table and began to return to Avani's side, when a snippet of conversation made me freeze. It was too low for the children to hear, even if they'd been listening, but with my keen hearing, I could make out their words as clearly as if I was standing next to them.

"You know," Barrett was saying, slowly, "what you told Leonel the other day wasn't _entirely_ true."

"What?" she replied in surprise. "What did I say? I don't _remember_ saying anything untrue…."

"You said that we were fond of each other, but only as friends and nothing more."

"Yes… but, that _is_ true, isn't it? I'm fond of _you_, anyway, and I consider you to be a very good friend." Her voice sounded puzzled, but I could see where this was headed and I tensed—it was something I'd known for some time, though I'd never expected him to come right out and admit to it.

"I know… that part was true enough. But… it's not mutual."

"It… it isn't? Barrett, I… I don't know what to say. I _thought_ we were friends," she said in a wounded voice, sounding as if she was about to start to cry.

"_No_—that's not… I mean, you aren't _only_ a friend to me. You're so much more. After… after that night, well… I never told you before, but I fell in love with you. Don't worry," he added, silencing her startled exclamation, "I _know_ it's not mutual. That's fine—I don't expect anything from you. You've already given me so much as it is. But after… after you risked your life to save my son, I… well, I just couldn't keep it to myself any longer. I had to let you know. I've accepted that you don't return my feelings, that you love Leon wholeheartedly. And I wish you nothing but happiness with him. It's clear to me that you are both good for each other, and I'd never try to come between you. Still… I've just had enough of dishonesty, I suppose."

"But, then… how…?"

"Nothing's changed, Avani. You and I are still friends, and I hope we always will be." I could hear him stand, then he continued. "Leonel asked what about me—if I'd be happy one day. I hope to be, someday—as happy as you and Leon are. You set me free from my past, and that gave me hope for my future. Thank you, for all you've done—for me, and for my family."

I heard the sound of a kiss, and I strolled out as nonchalantly as I could muster, just in time to see him kissing the top of her head. Both turned and looked as I walked over, Avani with a radiant smile, and Barrett with a slightly self-conscious flush spreading across his cheeks.

They left soon afterwards, as soon as the kids finished their warm drinks. Avani looked at me as I sat down in the chair next to her, the book of legends in my hands as I prepared to settle down to read while she rested. "I _know_ you heard what Barrett said," she commented matter-of-factly.

I nodded, smiling a little ruefully at her. "Were you really unaware of his feelings until now, My Lady?"

She blushed and looked away, a pained look in her eyes. "I honestly had no idea. Not even a teensy hint of a clue. I really thought we were just good friends."

"And so you are, beloved," I replied, stroking her hair. "Look at you and Dylas. You were lovers for years, and he loves you still. Yet despite that, you two are very good friends. In fact, he's your _best_ friend, isn't he? Apart from yours truly, of course," I added with a grin.

"I… I guess that's true. I suppose I just need to get used to the idea. If he's felt this way all along…. I wonder why he felt he needed to tell me that _now_, of all times? Why wait until I'm married?"

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Would it have changed anything if he'd admitted his love for you before we married?"

"Well, no… of course not."

"Then what does it matter when? Perhaps he waited so that you wouldn't feel that he was trying to pressure you into reciprocating. Perhaps it was just as he said—he finally grew tired of the pretense, of not being honest about his feelings. Or perhaps it was just that, having come so close to losing you, he felt that he needed to say something while he could. Because, after all, life _is_ uncertain, and even the mightiest among us are not infallible."

She looked a little pale. "Was… was it _really_ that bad? I mean, was I really hurt _that_ badly? No one seems to want to tell me. I don't remember much after…." She shivered, and her eyes grew large and dark as she thought back.

I set my book aside and climbed into bed next to her, holding her in my arms to comfort her. "Shhh, you're safe, My Lady. You're recovering quite admirably, and you'll be back up and leaping into the fray again in no time at all." She lay back down and nestled up to me, resting her head on my lap and closing her eyes. She didn't sleep, though, so after a minute, I asked with some hesitation, "What _did_ happen, My Lady? How did you come to be hurt so badly? Do you feel like talking about it?"

She lay quietly for a few minutes, then without opening her eyes, she spoke in a soft voice. "I'd rushed on ahead of you, as you may recall, and found the grimoire just about to pounce on Leonel, who was already hurt and petrified with terror. So I dove in between him and the dragon, too quickly for it to change its course. My interference prevented it from reaching Leonel, at least, but it was enraged at being denied its prey. After you took Leonel and left… it turned on me with a fury like I've never seen from one of its kind before. It cast spell after spell at me, so I was kept busy dodging wind blades and tornados and meteor showers. Then, while I was distracted… it blindsided me with its tail. It knocked me flying, and I crashed into one of the stone pillars. I had just enough strength left to cast a prism—light spells are, luckily, its greatest weakness—just as it flung itself onto me, ripping and tearing with its jaws and claws. The barrier sliced through its defenses and flung it across the terrace, but by then I was too badly hurt—I couldn't move or even cast escape. I tried, and I just couldn't formulate the words. The last thing… the last thing I remember was wishing I'd had a chance to say goodbye to you… then the next thing I knew, I was waking up, and you were by my side."

I held her closely, unable to speak for some time. Before I regained the use of my voice, she fell asleep, curled up snugly against me, her head still on my lap as I continued gently stroking her hair.

After another three days, Avani had recovered enough to be up and about, and with Jones' approval, I completed her healing with the use of magic. Barrett's children were in town for another ten days after that, and they were frequent visitors—both of them—for the remainder of their visit. Avani delighted in teaching them farming skills, playing with them with her pet wolves, taking them for rides on her assorted tame monsters, and even teaching Leonel the rudiments of sword-play. Yuri, of course, was too young for combat training just yet, so instead, Avani took her up to her crafting room and spent an afternoon showing her how to make jewelry and other magical accessories.

When they came to say goodbye the day they were to return to their mother's house, Avani presented Leonel with a handsome short sword and shield that she'd made especially for him, and she gave Yuri several accessories—some that she'd made for the child, and others that she'd helped Yuri to make. The little girl squealed with glee at her pouch of treasures, and Leonel's eyes shone as he admired his gifts. Hugs were exchanged—and a few kisses, as well—and promises of future visits were given and accepted. Then Barrett pulled his reluctant children away, smiling as he waved and called out a farewell as they headed towards the airship.

I looked down at my wife and was surprised to see tears in her eyes. "My Lady? Is anything the matter?"

She shook her head and brushed her hand across her eyes, wiping away the traces of tears as she smiled at me. "No… nothing's _wrong_ exactly. I'm just going to miss them, that's all. They really livened things up… didn't they?"

I smiled at her as we turned and walked back into our chamber. "Are you bored, my love?"

"No, just…." She sighed. "I don't know, it just feels like _something_ is missing… something that I didn't even _know_ was missing before, but now I can't stop feeling that there's an… an emptiness that wants to be filled."

I gave her hand a sympathetic squeeze, for I, too, felt something was lacking.

The next morning, I woke early. Sitting up and stretching, I looked down at my wife. She still slept more than was usual for her—although recovered from her injuries, she still was recuperating from being so completely and utterly drained of energy. However, she was nearly back to her old self, and I was thankful each morning that I awoke to find her still at my side, hale and hearty and as beautiful and incredible as ever.

She stirred as I watched her, and opened her eyes to find me smiling down at her. As I reached out to stroke her cheek tenderly, suddenly everything fell into place—the vague sense of emptiness, that _something_ was missing… I understood it all in a flash of insight.

Still smiling at her, although my heart was pounding from my epiphany, I simply said, "Good morning, My Lady. I have some trivia and a little quiz for you today. Care to play?"

She sat up and leaned against my shoulder. "Oh? Sure, what is it, Leo?" she replied with a sleepy yawn.

"Well, let's do the trivia first. Did you know that I happen to be very fond of children?"

"I _had_ noticed that," she grinned, "from the way you played with Barrett's kids. I'll never forget you having a tea party with Yuri while I was busy teaching Leonel how to handle a sword, or the rapt attention in Leonel's face when you regaled him with stories from your own time. And let's not forget the way you let them climb all over you, tickling you—especially your ears!"

I winced at the memory of that particular romp—it had been so… undignified. "Let's maybe forget that last one," I said. "Anyway, now for the quiz. It's only one question, answer me yes or no: Do you want to have children?"

She looked up at me in startled surprise for a moment as she considered my inquiry. Then her face relaxed into a wide grin as she again leaned against me. "Yeah… _yeah_, I do. _Millions_ of them!"

I cleared my throat. "Hmm, I don't know about _millions_…." I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her closer to me as I looked down into here eyes. "Well, My Lady, how about it, then? Will you have my children?"

"I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have a family with," she said with a giggle. "Do you think they'll inherit your foxy ears and tail? That would be just too adorable!"

"You can laugh, but I'm completely serious," I replied, stroking her cheek. "I want you to be the mother of my children." With that, I began to kiss her. "So just in case you've forgotten, let me remind you how it works," I whispered into her ear, drawing her back down to the softness of our bed.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	55. Chapter 55

**AN:** Thank you for reading! Just a reminder that I love-love-love to hear from readers, so please let me know what you think! :)

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><p>"What do you <em>mean<em>, you've never used birth control?" I exclaimed, stunned. We'd decided only yesterday that we wanted to start a family, but it appeared we'd already hit our first snag. "You mean to say, that in the year or so we've been together, as well as the year and a half that you were with Dylas before me… you never _once_ used _any_ form of contraceptive?"

"No, never. I'm sorry, I guess I just never thought of such a thing even existing. I guess that's something else that I must have forgotten about, thanks to my amnesia."

I frowned at her. "You rely on that excuse far too often, Avani. It's one thing to say you can't remember details of your childhood or something—that's normal for amnesia. But it's another thing altogether to blame your tendency to not think things through on it!" I spoke far more harshly than was my intent in my agitation at the implications of her revelation.

With a hurt look, she turned away. "I _said_ I was sorry. What more do you want from me? Okay, so maybe it wasn't the smartest thing I've ever done, but I don't understand why you're being so… so _mean_ about it!" Then she stormed out of the house, leaving me slack-jawed in surprise.

I thought about what I'd said to warrant such an accusation, and as I mentally replayed my part of the conversation, I realized that I had perhaps been less than sympathetic. _Especially_ the comment about her amnesia—I cringed as my words echoed in my head. I followed after her, but by then she'd already vanished from sight. No doubt she'd gone off to work off her vexation out in the wilds somewhere. I sighed and rubbed my forehead, then glanced up at the sky, noting dark clouds gathering on the horizon. They were still a long ways away, though, so I wasn't too concerned. I trudged up the steps from the garden and headed down the street to Porcoline's.

Dylas was on duty when I walked in, and he looked up in surprise. "Where's Avani?" he asked curiously, peering to see if she was straggling in behind me.

I shrugged and asked for a cup of coffee, and he gave me a sharp look as he poured it and passed it to me. "What's going on? You two are virtually inseparable. So where is she?"

"We… had a disagreement. Hey… did you know she _never_ used birth control? Not once in all the time she was with either of us. Did… did she ever have a pregnancy scare or anything, that you know of?" I asked, sipping the steaming beverage.

He raised an eyebrow as he leaned against the counter. "Really? No, I didn't know that. And as far as I know, nothing like that ever came up. She never mentioned anything to me, anyway. Why? Don't tell me you were arguing about _that_, of all things?"

I frowned into my cup, pausing before responding. "Don't you see? She spent over two years sexually active with one or both of us, never using _any_ contraceptives, and she hasn't once had even a _hint_ of getting pregnant. We decided that we want to start a family… but apparently we've already been doing everything possible to have children—with no results. So what if… what if we just _can't_? We former Guardians, I mean. What if being bound like that for so long somehow rendered us infertile? I mean, it obviously had some lasting physical effects. Maybe there are _other_ effects that aren't as… obvious."

Dylas looked surprised as he thought about it, then he just shrugged. "Well, I suppose that would be unfortunate if you really wanted kids that badly. But I still don't see what the big deal is. I mean, what've you got to gripe about, really? You got the girl—so what if you can't have kids with her, too? Isn't just having her enough? Don't be so… so _greedy_. _I'd_ take a lifetime with Avani—with _or_ without kids—any day. But she picked _you_, not me. Now where is she, anyway?"

I sighed and drained my cup, grimacing slightly at the bitter aftertaste. "I don't know. She just… took off. She's probably out venting somewhere."

Dylas scowled at me, his hazel eyes flashing, and slammed his hand down on the counter. He reached across to grab me by my vest and pulled me closer. "You mean to say," he growled, "you just… let her go? Angry and upset, out into the wilds, all by herself? What the _hell_ is wrong with you? She's barely just recovered from her last escapade—_barely_—and you _just let her go_?" He flung me back, then stomped around from behind the counter to stand over me, glowering. "Now you listen to me. I love her, too, you dipshit, and don't you forget it. But she chose _you_—and I warned you at the time, didn't I? I said then that you'd _better_ make her happy. Well, she doesn't sound like she's any too happy to me, so get up off that floor and get your sorry ass out there and _find_ _her_. And I swear, if anything happens to her…."

I stood and glared at him. "Back off, Dylas. She's _my_ wife. I don't need you to tell me how to take care of her!" I turned and started to leave, but he grabbed my arm.

"No. You know what? You're being a dick. So I'm coming with you—to make sure that you don't screw up more than you already have. Not because I care about saving your marriage—I don't. Nothing would make me happier than for her to leave you, because maybe then I'd get her back at last. I'm only going because, as much as I hate it to admit it, I know she'd be miserable without you."

Still gripping my arm, he pulled me back home and down the stairs to the storeroom where we all kept our weapons and armor. Tossing my equipment to me, he grabbed his own and we went back upstairs. As we strapped on our armor and buckled our boots, I glared at him, still fuming from our confrontation. "There is no need at all for you to come with me. I can handle this myself. I don't want _or_ need your help."

"Tough shit, because you're getting it anyway. I'm not doing this for _you_, so just stuff it." He glared back angrily as he pulled on his newest fighting gloves.

I grabbed my shield and lance, and I considered for a brief moment smacking him with it. I was already aware that I'd messed up, and I sure didn't need him reminding me of it at every turn. Besides, it was none of his business—this was between me and Avani. I was the one that needed to put things to rights, and I didn't need him getting in my way.

But there was no dissuading him. He was bound and determined to see for himself that she was okay, and until then, he was sticking as close to me as my own shadow. I gave up trying and stalked towards the airship, Dylas close on my heels.

Once on board the airship, I stopped for a minute to think where she might have gone. Given that it was winter and she disliked the cold, I thought the Selphia Plains or Sercerezo Hill were likely options. Then I recalled a discussion about fishing from a few days ago, in which she had commented to Barrett that she had yet to hook a rockfish. She'd told him that she'd caught at least one of every fish to be found anywhere in the area except that one species, and she was eager to complete her collection, so to speak.

Therefore, I thought the sand pond seemed like a likely place to search for her, so I told the pilot to set course for Sercerezo Hill. He looked up at the sky nervously, saying, "Aye, but we'll hafta be quick. Storm's a-comin'. You be okay if I drop you out there? I can't wait around for ye ta finish, so ye be on yer own once ye disembark."

I looked up at the clouds—they'd moved in much faster than I'd predicted. Still, if my hunch proved correct, we should be able to find her and get back to town using escape before the brunt of the storm hit.

"Well, let's get a move on already. What are you waiting for, Christmas?" Dylas snapped irritably as he eyed the black clouds heading our way.

The airship dropped us off just past the bridge to Sercerezo Hill, hardly more than pausing while we jumped off the gangplank to the ground below before it turned and sailed full-bore back towards Selphia. A nearby herd of ill-tempered schmoolies immediately charged at us, no doubt disturbed by our bickering, which we resumed as soon as we'd landed. We quickly dispatched them and headed towards the sand pond on the far side of the bridge southeast of the hill. There were more than the usual number of monsters out, I noticed—perhaps galvanized into unusual activity by the approaching storm.

"I don't get it," Dylas groused as we fought our way through the dense growths of flowering vines and through flocks of schmoolies and bunches of monstrous blossoms. "Why would she take off like this, with a storm approaching, just because you two had a little spat? Or is there something you're leaving out?"

I paused to skewer a flower blossom monster as it slithered our way, reaching out with its thorny vines to ensnare either or both of us. Huffing in irritation, I brushed the hair out of my face and glared at him. "Fine. Yes, there was more to it than just that. I… I accused her of falling back on her amnesia as an excuse for not thinking things through."

Dylas stopped stock still, stiffening as he stared at me, his face growing blacker than the clouds closing in overhead. "You… _what_?" he growled. "No. No, you did _not_ do that. _Tell_ me you didn't."

"I'm not _proud_ of it—I didn't even mean it. I was just… caught off guard, I guess."

"You goddamned fucking piece of shit! I can't _believe_ you said that to her!" he bellowed, diving for me and grabbing me by my vest collar. "How can you even call yourself her husband after that?! Dammit, no _wonder_ she ran away! After we find her and get her safely back to town, I am going to kick your ass clear into the middle of next week, _Rover_!" He shoved me back to the ground, glaring down at me, his face contorted with barely-concealed rage.

I narrowed my eyes and bared my fangs—I'd had just about enough of his attitude. Yes, he was right—I shouldn't have said what I said. _Avani_ could call me every name in the book when I found her and I'd take it as my just deserts, but I wasn't about to take that kind of abuse from _him_. Friend or not, I was sick and tired of him constantly interfering in our marriage. And it was high time I told him so.

I sprang up to my feet, tossing my spear and shield aside. "You want a fight? Is that what you want? Well, come and get it, horsey boy, _if_ you're not afraid of mussing your pretty mane, that is!"

Dylas flushed red, his eyes snapping with rage. "Fine, you got it. No weapons, no spells. Just you and me, Rover," he snarled, throwing his fighting gloves to the ground.

Gritting my teeth, I responded, "You got it. May the best man win."

"Oh, I _will_," he snapped, then he lunged at me.

Dylas had the advantage in height, weight, and sheer muscle mass. However, I had superior flexibility, speed, and endurance—not to mention intelligence. I knew my best bet for winning a fight against Dylas would be to keep him moving, staying just out of reach while provoking him into attacking, thus tiring him out before moving in. So with this in mind, I darted around him, easily dodging his blows at the last second, taunting him with equine insults that drove him into a frenzy.

As we circled, almost closing in on each other, then separating only to close in again, neither of us paid much attention to the rain beginning to fall. A few heavy drops at first, then a steady rain, then a downpour. Before we knew what hit us, we were caught in a torrential rainstorm. Yet still we fought on, the rain-slicked grass only serving to increase the challenge.

But in the back of my mind, I began to worry—I desperately wanted to check to see if Avani was there at the sand pond, still fishing, and if not, to find her. She didn't mind rainstorms—she found them rather exhilarating, as long as they weren't too cold. Cold was the only thing that seemed to bother her very much, and even then only after being out in it for a while. I began to regret initiating this pointless brawl, but Dylas was infuriated beyond reason by this point, and I highly doubted he'd stop for man or beast. So I started to maneuver him eastwards towards the bridge, hoping to reach the sand pond quickly to relieve my mind.

However, something most unexpected caused an unavoidable delay.

As we reached the bridge, Dylas was still lunging at me, still trying to land a blow, though he was obviously beginning to wear down. I had just leaped back to avoid another kick, when a deep, thundering voice spoke behind me, saying, "Who dares to defile the bridge of Typhoon the Storm-Daemon? None may enter his demesne!"

I spun around and beheld the largest daemon-class monster I'd ever laid eyes on, wielding a massive trident in his hand, which was as dark as the storm clouds overhead. Dylas, too, stopped, panting for breath as he stared wide-eyed at the monster. I stood up straight before him, acutely aware that our weapons were lying on the grass quite some distance away from the bridge. "I entreat you to let me pass, storm-daemon. I come in search of my wife, who may have wandered unintentionally into your realm before the storm arose. I mean you and your lands no harm."

He pounded his trident onto the bridge, causing the whole structure to shudder. Glowering at me with eyes burning like coals in his dark grey skull, he said, "Then she is _mine_ now. All that set foot in my demesne belong to me, and to me alone. If you seek to reclaim her, then you do mean me harm—as I do you!"

He swiftly raised his trident and cast a whirlwind of sonic blades that spun towards Dylas and me, sending further blades spiraling outwards as it careened across the bridge. I jumped back, landing next to Dylas. Barely sparing a glance in his direction, I called out, "Truce?"

"Truce!" he shouted in reply, ducking below a sonic blade.

The storm-daemon had an array of powerful spells that made even our strongest magic seem like child's play in comparison. Though we cast spell after spell his way, he seemed entirely unaffected. Meanwhile, already partially drained from our foolish scuffle, we quickly used up nearly all of our energy for spellcasting. I kept enough energy in reserve for one healing spell, and escape used almost none. But I was loathe to cast escape, simply because I could not and would not abandon Avani to this… monstrosity.

Monstrosity, indeed—Typhoon seemed as though he was unscathed despite the barrage of our strongest spells, while we were both battered and exhausted. I was beginning to wonder if a strategic retreat to replenish our energy and arm ourselves might be necessary after all—for there was no question of my needing Dylas's help in this battle—when he cast a new spell, one I had never seen before nor have I ever seen since.

Summoning three spheres of dark energy, he quickly incanted a second spell over the hovering globes. They transformed into bolts of pure dark energy that shot out faster than a swallow in flight. Dylas and I both dove out of the paths of the projectiles, but they moved too fast. One of them skimmed over my right arm, and another caught Dylas in his side—fortunately his armor and leather clothing offered some protection, or he would have been gravely injured indeed. Dark energy didn't merely damage—it devoured, like acid or flame. Whatever it touched, it consumed. While it could have been worse, nevertheless it was bad enough. I had a cleft running the length of my arm, shoulder to wrist, rendering it essentially useless, and Dylas had a void in his armor and jacket that displayed a deep puncture into his ribs.

Things were not looking good for us.

Typhoon chuckled, sensing that the end of the battle was drawing near. He closed the gap between us in a single gigantic pace, gloating as he looked down at us. I tried to cast escape, but nothing happened—after that last blow, I was too drained for even that simplest of spells. I could see Dylas struggling next to me, apparently trying the same thing with similar results as he almost immediately fell back onto the planks of the bridge. "And so end all who challenge Typhoon the Storm-Daemon!" the monster boomed, raising his weapon triumphantly over his head for the finishing stroke.

Then a blur of green and gold flew from out of the woods on the far side of the bridge, crashing into the daemon, all but knocking it over. And there, to my astonishment, stood Avani.

If the daemon Typhoon looked like the embodiment of the storm clouds over head—dark and glowering and merciless, in that moment, Avani was the embodiment of the wind—swift, sure, and mighty was she as she stood tall in her wrath, the winds whipping her green hair into a verdant halo.

The daemon spun around to face her, hesitating in amazement as he beheld the figure before him. "So. You, then, are my most recent acquisition. Bow down before your new lord, hellcat!" he growled as a lascivious grin spread across his face.

Grabbing her dual swords from her rucksack and tossing the bag aside, she stared coldly into the massive monster's face. "I bow to _none_ besides my liege lord, you asshelmeted troglodyte."

"My, such words from one so small and… frail. It's time you learned your place, slave!" He whirled his trident easily over his head, then pointed it straight at her chest.

"Avani, look out!" I called, struggling unsuccessfully to rise. She flew up into a back flip and landed several yards back, just out of reach of his thrust.

Before he could attack again, she quickly cast a healing spell, shouting, "Where are your weapons? Go and get them!"

As Dylas and I stumbled back to pick up our discarded equipment, she whirled around, her blades held out to her sides, slashing into the daemon's thick hide. Although he had to have sustained some damage, his only response was a deep, menacing chuckle. As we raced back, he growled, "Ahh, yes… you're a lively one, I see. I like that, yes. Please me well, slave, and perhaps I'll promote you to concubine," he said, licking his lips obscenely.

Avani grimaced in revulsion. "I'd sooner die a thousand deaths in the fires of the lava ruins than spend even one second in the company of the likes of you!" she spat, crouching down to launch another attack. Hissing, the daemon prepared another dark arrow spell. Before I could warn her or reach him to attack, he sent the bolts flying directly at her.

She sprang from her crouch, leaping high into the air and over the speeding darts. Holding her blades close together, tips just touching, she dove at the monster's head, shouting, "And I! Am! No! Man's!_ Slave_!" as she crashed down, driving the paired swords like a wedge deep into the monster's skull.

The daemon Typhoon bellowed in rage and disbelief, grabbing her and flinging her down onto the bridge like a rag doll. He raised his trident high over head, preparing to skewer her, but the swords had continued to inflict their magical damage on him even as he stood. In a blinding flash of light, they clove him in two, and with an enraged howl, the monster vanished, leaving the three of us alone in the storm as her blades fell to the bridge before her.

Dylas and I ran to Avani, and I knelt next to her. "My Lady!" I exclaimed, checking her for injuries. Dylas stood behind me, although he hovered over me in his concern.

After a moment, she opened her eyes and smiled up at me, then reached a hand up to my cheek. "Leo…" she said wearily, "…I think we should avoid this neck of the woods on stormy days in the future."

I choked slightly, and heard Dylas snort in exasperation behind me. I gathered her up in my arms, nuzzling my cheek against hers. "I concur, My Lady. Why tempt fate?"

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	56. Chapter 56

Upon our return from our fight with the storm-daemon, we stopped for dry clothing and hurried to the inn to warm up in the scalding waters of the baths. Afterwards, we quickly returned to the castle, borrowing a few of Lin's oversized umbrellas to ensure we stayed dry as we ran through the snowstorm. Avani promptly headed into the kitchen to fix us all something hot to eat and drink, while Dylas sat in one of the easy chairs and I lit the fire the butlers had laid earlier in the day. Soon the three of us were sitting before a roaring fire as we ate and drank, ravenous after the day's efforts.

After sating the fiercest of her hunger pangs, Avani sat back and looked first at me as I sat next to her on the sofa, and then over at Dylas in his chair. "So tell me, what were the two of you doing out there in the wilds of Sercerezo Hill without your weapons?"

Dylas and I looked at each other sheepishly. "Ahh, well, My Lady, we…." I started.

"We… we were sparring. You know, just a little friendly combat practice. Nothing at all serious," Dylas hastily interrupted.

"_Sparring_? On Sercerezo Hill? Without even practice weapons? _In a thunderstorm_?" she replied incredulously. "Why _there_? Why not the courtyard, or even just the plains near town? And _why_ in the names of the Native Dragons would you spar in the middle of a raging storm?"

Dylas frowned, annoyed that she'd seen through his ruse so quickly. "Well, what about _you_? What the hell were you _thinking_, fishing in a storm like that?" he huffed in aggravation.

Avani looked at him reproachfully. "And you call yourself a fisherman? Everyone knows the fish bite better in the rain!"

"You were _sand_ fishing," he pointed out drily.

"Oh, and how much experience do _you_ have sand fishing? Right, about as much as I do. I thought, if it worked with normal fish in the water, maybe it would work for sand fish, too. I figured it was worth a shot—I knew I could get back to town fast if the weather got too bad. In fact, I was just packing up when I heard loud noises coming from the bridge, even over the noise of the storm. Imagine my surprise when I looked through the trees and found a huge, strange monster kicking my husband's and my best friend's butts! _Seriously_, you two! No weapons? Nothing? Come _on_!" She folded her arms over her chest and glared at her former lover, who glared right back at her.

I sighed. "Okay, this is beginning to get childish. And none of us are being altogether honest, are we?" I reached over to Avani and turned her face towards mine, looking into her eyes. "I apologize, My Lady, for the things I said earlier. I swear I didn't mean them, nor to hurt you. I was just taken by surprise, though I know that's no excuse for my poor reaction. I don't blame you at all for running off as you did, though the timing perhaps left something to be desired. Will you forgive me, my love?"

She snuggled up to me, giving me a kiss and smiling, her good humor once again restored. "Of course I do, Leo. I know you didn't mean what you said. I just needed some time to cool off—I didn't want to get into a real fight, certainly not over something so… so ridiculous. I'd long since gotten over it by the time I decided I was done fishing. Though I wish I'd been able to catch a rockfish!"

Dylas cleared his throat, and we looked over at him. His face was pink with embarrassment, and he looked away as he spoke. "I, uh… I'm sorry, too, Leon, for losing my temper. It's just…."

"It's okay, Dylas. I lost mine, too, you know." I turned to look at Avani, and explained. "You see, after you took off, I went to talk to Dylas. When I found out about you never using birth control, I… well, I panicked. It occurred to me that maybe we former Guardians just _can't_ have children—that maybe being fused into our Guardian forms altered us in more ways than we had realized. And… and that was, well, upsetting, to put it mildly. So I wanted to see if he knew anything—if maybe there'd been something that came up in your time together that maybe you'd just forgotten about—but he didn't have any more information than you did.

"Then he started asking where you were, and when I said you'd run off, he lost his temper—then I lost mine. We both went in search of you, and we headed straight for the sand pond since I remembered you mentioning to Barrett recently that you wanted to catch a rockfish. Except it wasn't really _straight_ there, because we argued the whole way. By the time we were approaching the bridge to the sand pond, we were angry enough to start actually fighting—_physically_ fighting, that is. We chose to settle our differences without weapons or magic—I don't think either of us would ever be likely to get _that_ mad at the other. So we left our things under a tree near the clearing where we started and had at it. Our fight carried over to the bridge, and that's when we stumbled across that storm-daemon. By then, we were already tiring, and we'd left our weapons some ways back. I shudder to imagine what would have happened if you hadn't somehow heard us through the noise of the storm."

She looked at me, then at Dylas, an appalled look in her eyes. "You… you seriously mean that you two were _fighting_? Not just sparring, but for _real_? And all because you and I had a stupid little spat?" She just shook her head slowly in disbelief, looking back and forth between the two of us, at a loss for words. She heaved a great sigh, then looked over at Dylas. "Okay. First of all, Dylas, it's really sweet that you get worried about me like that. But when are you going to learn that I can handle myself? You don't _need_ to worry about me—you _shouldn't_ worry about me, not to _that_ extent anyway. And you certainly don't need to defend me against my own husband. You're going to have to start backing off a little and let us work out things in our own time, in our own ways. I know you just want me to be happy, and I'm thankful to have such a great friend as you. But it's not realistic to expect me to be completely happy all the time. I don't think I'd even _want_ to be, strange as that might sound. It would be like… like having cake for every meal, every day, for the rest of my life."

Dylas grimaced, looking revolted at the mere idea, and she continued with a wry smile. "Cake is nice to have now and then, maybe even daily. Or at least _most_ of us would think so—I know _you_ don't. But very few people would really want to eat _that_ much cake, and if they did have it all the time, they would soon sicken from such a diet. I need variety in my… I guess you could call it my emotional diet, same as with my regular diet. So please don't try to push me into living my life the way _you_ think I should live it. Let me make my own decisions and my own mistakes. You know I do the same for you, even though I want you to be happy just as much. And just like I'm here for you anytime you need me, I hope that you'll be there for me, too, should I find I've gotten myself in over my head and need help. But I still need the freedom to make mistakes and to learn from them and grow. Okay?"

He looked away and nodded unhappily, then said, "Yeah. Okay. Sorry, Avani. It's just that I… I just can't bear to see you hurt or unhappy. But I'll… I'll try to back off and let you do things your way. I know it's not my place to tell you how to live your life, anyway." Then he looked back at her, his face schooled into a blank expression—all except for his eyes, which were brim-full with unspoken emotions. "And you _know_ I'll always be here for you, whenever you need me."

He rose then, quickly, and saying goodnight, he left to return to his solitary room, grabbing one of the borrowed umbrellas for shelter against the still-heavy snowfall. He ran through the back garden towards Airship Way, his black clothing a startling contrast against the blanketing whiteness of the whirling snow as he bolted up the steps to the street above and disappeared from our sight.

Returning to our room and closing the door against the icy winds, we returned to our seats on the sofa. Leaning her head against my shoulder as we watched the flickering flames, she said softly, "As for _you_, Sir Mr. Leo, I honestly am sorry if I upset you. But I _was_ telling the truth—I really never _once_ thought about birth control. I don't know why. I mean, it seems like something I should have learned about at some point, so… but there's nothing there. At least, nothing from before this morning. Neither Jones nor Nancy ever brought it up during any of my exams, which seems a little strange in retrospect—I guess they must have assumed I had it under control and that if I needed something, I'd ask. I don't even know what one does… how you… what _kinds_ of birth control there are." She looked up at me helplessly, and if I'd ever truly doubted her veracity on that point, the stark bewilderment in her eyes would have quickly laid that to rest.

I put my arm around her and said, "Well, love, it doesn't matter now, anyway, does it? And I'm hardly an authority on such things, especially in this era. You'd be better off asking Nancy or Jones if you really want to know about it. All that aside, though, I'm sorry for what I said. I never really doubted your honesty."

She sighed and again placed her head on my shoulder. "You know… it really doesn't matter to me _that_ much. I mean, I'm very sorry it's so upsetting to you, and sure, it'd be amazing to have a houseful of kids running around underfoot. But the important thing, to me anyway, is that we have each other. The rest is just the icing on the cake."

I thought about what she said for a few minutes. I remembered the terror I'd felt upon finding her more dead than alive in the grimoire's lair, the panic I'd felt watching her battle Typhoon while helpless to assist her, and of course everything else we'd been through together in the past year: Dylas's infidelity, the terrible battle with Ethelberd, her heart-wrenching depression after Venti's passage, my soul-searching with Maria as we unearthed her letter to me piece by piece, and of course our wedding and honeymoon. And I thought to myself… Dylas was right. I _would_ take a lifetime with her—with _or_ without children—_any_ day.

And leaning down to whisper into her ear, I told her so.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	57. Chapter 57

**AN:** Thank you for reading! I'd love to hear how you're liking my story so far! :)

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><p>One morning a week or so after the battle against the storm-daemon Typhoon, I rose very early, and leaving Avani asleep in bed, I slipped into my clothes and out the back door. Dashing through the chilly morning air, I hurried over to see Lin. I wanted something from her, and quickly—before my wife awoke and found herself alone, anyway. So hurrying into the inn and through the lobby, I knocked on her bedroom door. She answered a minute later, yawning as she shrugged into her robe. "Leon? What's going on? Why are you here so early? Is something wrong?" she asked in rapid fire, confused by my arrival in her private room.<p>

"No, nothing's wrong, Lin. But I need something as quickly as possible, and I'm very much hoping you have what I want. Can you spare a minute?"

A few minutes later, I was racing back through the garden, a small parcel in my hand, and slipping back into the house as quickly and quietly as I could. Fortunately, she didn't appear to have so much as stirred. I went into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee brewing while I arranged my purchase on a pretty plate. Placing the plate, a fork, a bowl of strawberries picked just the day before from the spring field on Sercerezo Hill, a small dish of sweetened whipped cream, and two cups of coffee on a tray, I carefully crept back out to the main chamber.

Placing the tray on the bedside table, I slipped under the covers alongside my wife. Kissing her gently on her cheek, I whispered, "Good morning, My Lady. It's another beautiful day in Selphia." She opened her eyes somewhat reluctantly—I'm afraid I'd kept her up rather later than usual last night, plus she apparently hadn't yet recovered all of her energy from her two most recent battles, fighting the grimoire and the storm-daemon. She yawned and snuggled up against me, closing her eyes tightly again, but I could see a mischievous curve at the corner of her mouth and knew she was only teasing me.

Smiling at her dissemblance, I murmured, "I have a little something for you, but you have to be awake to receive it." That got her attention, and her eyes flew open, bright with anticipation. I sat up, and she pulled herself up alongside me, peering around me to see what I'd brought for her. As I placed the tray on her lap, she looked it over, seemingly delighted yet puzzled by my odd selection.

"Thank you! It looks delicious. Though… why cake for breakfast?" she asked as she took a sip of the hot coffee, blowing on it to cool it first, and examined the large slab before her.

"Well, as I was starting to drift off last night…"

"More like this morning," she interrupted with a wide grin.

"…this morning," I conceded with a smile, "I suddenly remembered something from our conversations a few nights ago, the evening of our fight with Typhoon. I recalled that it had struck me as remarkable that you kept using cake analogies and idioms, and I wondered at the time if you were hinting that you'd like some cake. But then one thing led to another, and I'm afraid the cake was forgotten—until early this morning, anyway."

She looked both surprised and touched. "I don't think I _consciously_ meant anything at the time, but now that I have it here in front of me, it's just what I want. Thank you, love. You're always so thoughtful." She selected an especially large, plump berry, and without warning, popped it into my mouth. I smiled at her as I ate it, then I returned the favor, first dipping hers into the cream. And so we went on—feeding each other berries and bites of the cake and sipping our coffee, until the unusual meal was over.

I took the dishes back out to the kitchen to wash, so that she could rest a little longer. I was halfway through with the washing up, when suddenly I heard a thud from the main chamber. Rushing out, drying my hands on my pant legs as I ran, I found her half-fallen to the floor. She looked up at me, her face wan, and groaned, "Leo… I don't feel very well…" Then her eyes grew large, and she stumbled to her feet and out the door, with me close on her heels.

She ran to the edge of her field and bent over, retching into the bushes. I grabbed her hair and pulled it out of the way, frowning in concern as she lost her breakfast over the course of the next quarter hour. Finally she seemed to have finished, and shaking from exhaustion and the cold, she allowed me to lead her back into the castle.

Sitting her down on the edge of the bed, I fetched a basin of water, a cloth, and a towel from the kitchen. I set them on the bedside table, and as I gently washed her face, noting to myself how clammy her skin was, I asked, "What is it, My Lady? Was the cream bad? Or was something wrong with the cake? Or are you perhaps coming down with something?"

She groaned a little, clamping her hand down on her belly as if she again felt ill, then relaxed again a moment later as it passed. "I… I don't know, Leo," she croaked, her throat raw. "I just suddenly felt so sick and dizzy—that's why I fell trying to get out of bed. And then… well, you know. Thanks for helping me. Maybe I should put my hair up, in case it comes back, you know."

"Maybe," I said, scowling, "although I think an even better idea would be for you to go to the clinic. They won't be open for a while, but I'm sure Jones will see you anyway. I'm concerned for your health—you've been so run down lately, you know. I think we should head over as soon as you feel able to get dressed."

It was certainly more a testament to how miserable she felt than to any powers of persuasion I might have imagined I possessed that she agreed without protest. So as soon as she'd had a little time to recover, she twisted her hair up into a knot at the back of her head, then pulled on a skirt and sweater, her warm boots, and her jacket, and we headed out the front door to walk the couple of blocks to the clinic.

While she dressed, I'd arranged with Volkanon to have Clorica and Vishnal tend to her farm chores for her that morning, so that she needn't try to do them while feeling so miserable. He said to leave everything to him and to tell her to rest and get better soon, and I hurried back to our rooms, worried lest she take ill while again while I was away.

At that early hour, very few people were up and about. The only people we bumped into on our way were Forte, going through her morning warm-up routine out in the courtyard as usual; Dolce and Pico out on their early morning walk, and Dylas, who was fishing in a channel nearby. Forte merely waved a greeting to us, too focused to notice that anything was amiss. Dolce exclaimed over her appearance and expressed a hope that she feel better soon, seconded by Pico, and commented that Jones and Nancy would surely fix her up. Dylas watched as we started to walk past, then set his rod down and hurried over. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked, scowling in concern at her peaked look. "You don't look so good." He turned to me, asking, "You taking her to see Jones? Good. Let me know what he says, will you?" Then with an awkward but gentle pat on her back, he said, "Take it easy, alright? Get better soon." Then he slowly walked back to his fishing tackle, looking back over his shoulder as we continued on our way.

Nancy was just coming down the stairs, humming a cheerful tune, apparently going to water the flower boxes in the windows, as she carried a watering can in her hand. She started to smile in greeting, but just then Avani turned pale again and clamped her hands over her mouth, panic rising in her eyes. Moving quickly, Nancy grabbed a basin and brought it to her just in time. As I held it for her, Nancy flew to the stairs, shouting up to her husband. "Jones! Hurry on down here! Avani's sick!"

A moment later, I heard footsteps running down the stairs, and the doctor was there, watching with concern as my wife continued heaving, though she had nothing left in her by then. He looked thoughtful for a moment, then walked over to a cabinet. He retrieved a small ceramic jar, and reaching in, pulled out a pinch of something. Returning the jar to its place, he walked over and popped the substance into her mouth. I caught a pungent whiff of ginger—spicy, slightly hot, slightly dusty, yet also sweet-smelling, so probably candied to preserve it. She grimaced at the flavor, but almost instantly the color returned to her cheeks and the tremors that shook her began to subside. After a few minutes, she passed the basin to Nancy with an apology. "Don't worry about it, dear," the nurse said cheerily. "We're quite used to that here!" She left for a minute, then returned with a clean basin, just in case.

Jones led Avani back to an exam room, and after asking me to wait in the front room, Nancy followed. I sat anxiously waiting, time hanging heavy on my hands as I strained my ears for any clue as to what was wrong. I wondered yet again if it might have been the cream—I had thought it was fresh, but as I hated milk, I hadn't tasted it or, to be completely honest, even sniffed it. I'd just assumed… but if something had been wrong, wouldn't she have noticed the flavor? Or would the berries and cake and coffee have masked it too well?

I sat, fretting and longing to do something—_anything_—to help, for perhaps as much as half an hour. Then Nancy stepped out with her usual cheery smile and asked me to come on back. I jumped up and quickly followed her, immediately going to stand next to Avani where she sat in a chair, looking tired and surprisingly frail. Looking at Jones, I exclaimed, "What is it, doc? What's wrong with her? Was it something she ate? Or has she come down with something? She's been so tired lately, ever since that battle with the grimoire. Would that have made her more susceptible to illness?"

Avani looked up at the doctor, asking faintly, "Is it anything very serious, doctor?"

Jones smiled at us, then at Nancy, who beamed back at him. "Well, yes, I suppose you _could_ say it was something serious. Congratulations, you two—you're going to be parents!"

Avani's mouth dropped open, and she looked up at me, speechless. I looked at her, then at Jones again, exclaiming, "What? Are… are you _sure_?"

Nancy gave Avani a big hug, then she nudged me playfully in the ribs with her elbow. "Yep, it's true! Congratulations, you old dog—I _knew_ you had it in you! Oh, I can't _wait_ to see your baby!" She clapped her hands together ecstatically, looking joyfully back and forth between us.

Then they left us alone for a few minutes, giving us time to let it sink in. I sat down in the chair next to hers and took her hands in mine. "My Lady…."

She looked at me, uncertainly. "Leo?"

I smiled and shook my head slightly. "I… it's just that for once in my life, I'm at a complete loss for words. I'm utterly delighted—just think of it, _our_ child." I grinned at her, and wrapped my arms around her, squeezing her tightly for just a moment. Looking into her eyes, I asked, "And you, My Lady? How do _you_ feel about it? Are you… are _you_ glad, too?"

She searched my eyes for a moment, then rested her head on my shoulder. "Me?" she said, sighing softly. "There ought to be a law against being so perfectly happy—but I'm _awfully_ glad there isn't."

I held her gently as she leaned against me, then looking down, I saw her staring at nothing, a sweet, pensive look in her eyes, and I marveled anew at how much joy life could hold.

Stroking her cheek softly, I said, "Tell me, My Lady, do you think we'll have a son? Or a daughter? I seem to recall that some women at least could tell, somehow, sometimes even right from the beginning. Not all, of course, but still… do you have any ideas?"

She looked surprised as she considered, then shook her head. "I'm sorry, Leo, but no—I've no idea whether this will be a boy or a girl. Does it matter very much to you which?"

"Not at all," I reassured her. "I hope that we'll end up with plenty of both. But even if we have all girls or all boys, I'll be fine with that, too. They'll _all_ be precious to me—no matter which—because they're _our_ children. Yours and mine."

She nodded, then grinned. "I guess this puts to rest your fears that being a Guardian ruined your chances of having children."

I laughed and ruffled her hair as she protested, laughing herself all the while. "Yes, it does rather ease my mind on the account. Though I'm still at a loss as to why in all those years…. Ah, well, it doesn't matter—not really, anyway. I'm just pleased that I picked such an excellent mother for my children."

"And I'm glad I picked them such a wonderful daddy," she said as she again nestled up to me.

Just then, Jones and Nancy returned, still all smiles. Jones had some advice for us, particularly for Avani. There was still plenty of time, he said, until the baby was due. His estimate was for early fall, though he warned us that babies were born when they were good and ready, regardless of what anyone else might think. He also cautioned Avani that in the meantime, she needed to pay particular attention to her health. "Take extra care not to overdo it, young lady," he said to her in his most serious tone of voice, though there was a sparkle in his eye as he said it. "You need to be sure you eat healthfully, get plenty of rest—while you still can!—and just generally be aware of how you are feeling. Physical activity is fine, but if you feel what you're doing is at all a strain, stop immediately. Your baby is well protected in there, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

"Speaking of which, avoid alcohol, large amounts of coffee or tea, medications I haven't approved, and very hot baths. If you ask, I'm sure Lin will adjust the bath temperature for you, especially if you go when it's not busy, and just don't spend as long soaking as you normally would. Oh, and pay attention to your energy levels, especially if you do anything taxing, like spellcasting, or forging, or farming. Avoid fighting, certainly anything more than a simple practice workout, as I'm concerned about blows to your abdomen. And as for you, Leon, _your_ job will be to support her as best you can. Help her out so that she can rest, especially with heavier things, like the farm work, and protect her from harm. You'll have to fight her battles for her for a while, if it comes to that. Now, have you two got all that?"

Feeling slightly overwhelmed, Avani and I nodded. Nancy smiled at the numb looks on our faces, and promised to write out a list of instructions and have Dolce bring them over later. We stood up and started to walk out, and I put my arm around her shoulders, still feeling incredulous. "So… we really are going to be parents, My Lady. Well, well… I suppose I'd better go tell everyone the news. It's never too soon to start extolling the virtues of our forthcoming prodigy, after all! Oh, and as for the name—I'll leave that up to you, love. So be sure you pick a perfect one!" I grinned at her and ruffled her hair again before heading out to brag about our good fortune.

Later that day, when I returned home, I found Avani curled up on the sofa with the foxes in her lap, gazing wistfully into the fire as she absently stroked their fur. Uno looked up at me as I walked in, yawning lazily. "Your mate has become most comfortable since your successful procreation," he spoke in my mind. "We estimate that her internal temperature his risen nearly two degrees as a result. Very pleasant in this frosty weather." Then he lay his head back down, burying his nose contentedly beneath his tails.

Avani looked up as I walked over, still bemused by Uno's comments. "How'd it go? Are you the envy of all the town now?" she asked with a grin, her eyes sparkling.

"Naturally! Although I don't understand why everyone hoped that our child will take after _you_ and not _me_. Particularly Forte—perhaps I need to remind her how _refreshing_ my sense of humor is." She snorted, trying to stifle her giggles, and I grinned at her as I sat down by her side, picking up a drowsily protesting Uno and dropping him onto my lap to make more room. "Now then, what were _you_ up to, My Lady? You looked as though you were a million miles away when I walked in."

She sighed and stared back into the fire. "Oh, I was just thinking… I feel a little bit sad that… well, that neither of us has any family, you know. Or none that we know of, anyway. Our baby won't have any grandparents, or aunts and uncles, or any little cousins to play with."

"Yes, that's true… but our baby _will_ have _us_, not to mention an entire town full of adoring, doting admirers. I think we'll have ourselves a fine, happy family, My Lady."

She snuggled a little closer, and a dreamy look came into her eyes as she stared into the flames, this time with a smile on her lips. "Yes… I think you're right."

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	58. Chapter 58

**AN:** For those who are less familiar with the flow of time in this game, a year in-game consists of 4 seasons, each of which is one month long. Each month is 30 days, divided into 5 weeks of 6 days each. So pregnancy goes pretty quickly in the game! I've tried to work things out so that each trimester is about a month in-game, and the entire pregnancy should last about 3 months. I hope this helps avoid confusion!

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><p>"I've been thinking about names for our baby," Avani commented as we sat relaxing before the fire after a long day of visiting the good citizens of Selphia, delivering New Year's gifts to everyone. She had chosen to celebrate her first New Year's Day in Selphia in that manner, and had done so every year since. And as usual, she had gone to great pains to give each person something that they especially loved or wished for. She had made each gift herself or had grown it in her own gardens, as handmade gifts were still preferred to purchased items in our town. It was a painstaking process that required days of preparation, gathering components as well as making everything, and she had spared no effort despite her condition. She did the same thing at Christmas each year, too, so by the end of New Year's Day, she was exhausted from her endeavors, more so this year than ever.<p>

I set my book down and put an arm around her shoulders to draw her closer. "Oh? And have you decided on any, My Lady?" I smiled at her pensive expression.

"No… not exactly. But I was thinking that I'd like to name our child in honor of Venti," she said, looking up at me. "I mean, she was such a dear friend to us both, and besides—she's the reason we met in the first place. If it hadn't been for her, our child wouldn't even exist."

"That's true enough, and those are very good reasons for making her our child's namesake, but are you actually proposing to name our child Ventuswill?" I frowned at the thought of a child with a dragon's name—and a Native Dragon at that.

"No, no—that isn't what I meant. I mean, name the baby in her honor, not use her actual name. That would be strange and, well, kind of presumptuous, don't you think? To give a human child a Native Dragon's name? And even if it wasn't, it would be a lot to live up to. I mean, just imagine growing up burdened with the name Fiersome! No, I just meant something that would kind of... commemorate her. So that if somehow… if there's some way that she… that she can see us from the Forest of Beginnings… so that she knows that she's still very much in our hearts and minds, you know," she said, blushing as she struggled to convey her meaning.

"I think I understand," I mused. "And I think it's a lovely idea. Depending, of course, on what names you come up with."

"I'll think about it and let you know," she grinned at me, nestling down against me.

I picked up my book and resumed my reading as she leaned against me, slipping into a light doze. The foxes wandered in from whatever crepuscular activities they had engaged in, phasing through the heavy wood door at the back of the room, and immediately leaped up onto Avani's lap to soak up her surplus warmth while basking in the fire's glow. They arranged themselves as best they could around her round belly as they resolidified, ready to be petted.

I had been surprised by how quickly her belly had expanded, but Nancy reassured me that she was in perfect health. She also pointed out that some women just showed more or sooner than others, and given how petite she was, it was not at all surprising that she already had a good-sized bump. Not that I minded, of course—watching the new life we'd made together growing within her filled me almost to bursting with pride and joy.

After a while, Avani stirred and sleepily suggested we head off to bed. She was tired from the day's efforts, and she reminded me that the next couple of days would be equally busy. She'd met with Arthur and Volkanon before Christmas, and after a lengthy discussion, they'd all agreed to have a feast-day on Venti's birthday—not a festival, exactly, as it was intended more as a private celebration for those who had known her and loved her rather than as a public jubilee. So it was agreed upon that the town would close up a little early that day and gather at Porcoline's restaurant for a party to celebrate her life—a birthday party at which the guest of honor would unavoidably be absent.

Porcoline was preparing most of the food, and Dylas would be assisting—that is, he'd mostly be standing guard to be sure his boss didn't eat every dish as soon as he cooked it. In addition to Porcoline's dishes, Avani was making the desserts for the party, as she had acquired quite a reputation for her baking skills. Furthermore, while Lumie offered to provide the flowers, it would be Margaret and Avani who would actually decorate with them, making garlands and floral arrangements to brighten up the restaurant. However, since Margaret was also in charge of the music, most of her time lately had been spent rehearsing with Deasún, who apparently had some skill with the small, end-blown flute known as a feadóg as well as with the mandolin, and had offered to share entertainment duties with her. That left her with little time for decorating, so most of that task fell to Avani as well. Fortunately, Nancy and Dolce offered to decorate the cakes for her, otherwise, she likely would have been too tired to enjoy the event.

The next two days she was in a flurry of activity, baking up a storm, and in between, busily arranging flowers in large vases borrowed from the castle's storerooms and tying more flowers into yards and yards of garlands. There wasn't much I could do to help her, since my cooking abilities were far beneath hers and I had no talent for flower arranging at all. So instead, I offered my services to her as errand-boy, running to the store when she ran low on ingredients, delivering messages, picking up additional flowers or other materials, and delivering things to Porcoline's restaurant to be set aside under Dylas's watchful eyes for the party.

At the end of each day, I forced her to sit back and put her feet up while I cooked a simple meal for us. And in the mornings, I made her breakfast in bed, and afterwards I did what I could to help with her chores. I had a black thumb when it came to growing things, but I did have some talent with animals—so I saw to her beasts while she tended her crops and orchards. Most of her monsters had come to accept me, even if they didn't feel the deep affection for me that they had for her. One or two still held out against me, though, and could become belligerent at times when I entered their barn alone. But I could cope with the occasional aggressive cluckadoodle or wooly, though it did make grooming them a challenge.

The morning of Venti's birthday dawned bright and clear—a gorgeous spring day. Signs went up in all the businesses warning tourists that they'd be closing early that day. Most had chosen to close at 17:00, an hour before the party was to begin, but Porcoline's closed a few hours before everyone else to allow time for the last tourists to finish their meals and leave and for the restaurant to get cleaned and decorated before people began to arrive. And Lin put up a notice that the baths would be closing promptly at 16:00, to be sure the last patrons had time to finish up and leave before they shut down. She also set out a sign that no one would be available at the front desk after 17:00, in case any late arrivals came in search of a room for the night. Finally, Arthur posted a notice at the airship dock, cautioning tourists that the town would be closing up early, and he had warned the pilots of the routes that stopped at our town, as well.

Nancy and Dolce had picked up the many cake layers Avani had baked the night before and intended to spend the day decorating them together. I noticed that Nancy was radiantly happy at the thought of spending the day thus occupied with her adopted daughter, and that Dolce, despite her sarcastic, cold demeanor, nevertheless seemed quietly pleased at the prospect, too. I thought it was wonderful that the two had found each other: the childless woman with a mother's heart, and the orphaned girl who missed her mother's love and care. Yet another example of the joy Venti had brought into our lives, whether directly or indirectly.

After the morning chores were done, I helped Avani carry over the results of last night's baking as well as the last of the flowers. We left them with Dylas, then we hurried over to the inn to bathe, so that she could have a soak before Lin had heated it up all the way for the day's patrons. Lin had been very obliging, holding off on heating up the ladies' bathing pool until after Avani had her soak. Very few tourists came in to bathe in the morning, and the few women in town that used the baths that early just delayed a little if they wanted a really hot bath. I thought to myself that you'd never find that sort of accommodation in a large city, where nearly everyone was a stranger. You needed a small-town environment to foster relationships of that caliber.

The final detail that Avani wanted to tend to before she began setting things up at the restaurant was an arrangement of gold vegetables. They'd been particular favorites of Venti's, and she wanted to display some as a sort of a tribute to her. So after bathing, we traveled to her winter field, where she grew all her golden vegetables—they seemed to thrive in the frigid air and heavy snowfall of that rugged mountain environment.

It was a spectacular sight, I had to admit—rows of shining golden vegetables poking up out of the thick blanket of pure white snow. She carefully brushed away the snow from the glittering leaves of the crops, and selected a bushel of the ripest vegetables. Whatever she didn't need for her display she could store for later use, as they kept very well.

While she picked her vegetables, I wandered around nearby, scaring off a few curious snowies—large, animated snowmen—that had come to investigate our activities. Her auxiliary fields were, surprisingly, never disturbed by the local wildlife, but we always found monsters gathered nearby when we left, if we left by foot anyway. However, today we departed using the escape spell, returning to town just about the time the restaurant closed. We dropped off the gold vegetables with Dylas, then we returned to the castle to change into our festival clothes and hurried back to start decorating.

As the last few patrons finished their meals, Avani arranged the display of golden vegetables. She arranged them artistically on a large platter, and placed it on a sideboard under a portrait of Venti on loan from the castle. On either side, she placed urns with cascading arrangements of flowers, featuring large blue crystal flowers from her own fields. She then placed more flowers on the tables, the counter, and the grand piano. I balked, however, at her climbing up to hang the floral garlands, instead insisting that she stay on the ground and direct me as I hung them. Together, we completed the decorations just as the last customer paid his bill and left. Dylas began to wash the last of the dishes, and we pitched in with the tidying up, Avani wiping tables while I swept the floor. Soon the restaurant was sparkling clean.

Margaret arrived as we finished, and she stood guard over Porcoline while the food was brought out. Dylas pulled tray after tray of food from the storeroom while Avani set the dishes out and garnished them prettily with flowers, foliage, and artistically cut fruit and vegetables. Deasún and Lumie arrived after a while, and he and Margaret tuned their instruments while Dylas took over chef-sitting duties.

The townsfolk began to arrive at a few minutes past 18:00, and the musicians began to play as they wandered in. Arthur, of course, had precedence as a Prince of the realm, but as usual, he bowed out of the formalities and left Avani, as the Baronet of the Selphian Plains, in charge. She stood in the center of the large room, flanked by her two knights, Dylas and yours truly, to welcome everyone as they arrived. She had chosen a charming gown made of a wispy fabric in a pale shade of cyan, and it clung to her, highlighting the new swells and curves of her body most attractively. Her initial morning sickness was already a thing of the past, and she had recovered the weight lost during that time. In fact, she looked better than ever, at least to me—pregnancy seemed to agree with her, if her radiant smile and sparkling eyes were any indication, anyway. All the women and most of the men remarked on her appearance and her growing belly, all except Doug, who seemed a little leery, as if he expected her to go into labor any second, despite being barely at the end of her first trimester.

The party was in full swing, the speeches having long given way to music and dancing while the drink flowed freely, when suddenly my keen ears caught the sounds of a commotion outside. I caught Dylas' eye, and we headed for the door to investigate the disturbance. Before either of us could reach the entrance, though, the doors suddenly burst open.

Standing in the doorway was a small group of strangers, with some of the guards attempting unsuccessfully to restrain them. The group consisted of a man, a woman, and a third figure, whose gender I was unable to ascertain at first glance. The man was young—younger than me, anyway—and surprisingly beautiful. His shoulder-length hair was the pale greenish gold of partly ripened grain, and his eyes were such a light shade of green or blue as to be almost white, except for the dark green rim encircling the pale iris. Half a moment later, though, I realized that as striking as his eyes were, they were sightless. His skin was a very light amber color, and his clothing was strange, unlike any I'd seen before. He wore loose, almost baggy, trousers of a lightweight fabric in a sandy color, and a peculiar jacket of the same cloth that was tight at the wrists but ballooned around his shoulders and back, leaving his bare chest exposed. A loosely wrapped turban adorned his head, the ends hanging down one side. The trim of the jacket and turban and the sash tied at his waist were all dyed a deep forest green.

Clinging to one arm was the woman, who also was beautiful and exotic. Long, silvery-lilac hair hung to the backs of her knees, and her eyes were a deep amethyst color. A worried look clouded her delicate features, and a faint blush crept over her the pale golden skin of her cheeks as she looked around at us. She wore a long skirt, split clear to the top of her thigh on one side, and a loose blouse that left her shoulders and midriff bare, both of a very fine, semi-sheer, white fabric. Wide gold cuffs adorned her thin wrists, and gold armbands were clasped above the low sleeves on her arms. Earrings of gold and amethyst hung from her tiny lobes, and a gold chain hung with pearls and amethysts was fastened around the top of her skirt at her hips. Seeing so many strange eyes staring at her appeared to enervate her, and she clung more closely to her companion.

As I regarded the pair, the third stranger pulled free of the guards' grasp and stepped forward, though still remaining behind the others. I felt right away that I would like this one. On a closer inspection, I saw she was clearly female. She was tiny—possibly even smaller than Xiao—and had a thick, unruly mane of silver hair. Her clothing reminded me a little of Dylas's, all leather and buckles. She wore a crimson jacket over a black top and black shorts, and black leather boots that ended mid-thigh. But her most striking feature by far was her eyes. I had never before met a heterochromatic person, and I found it initially somewhat disconcerting as my gaze jumped back and forth between the two different eyes, one ruby red and one emerald green, trying to settle on one to look into. After a moment, I realized she was returning my gaze with a disdainful, proud look that actually brought the color to my own cheeks. She definitely impressed me as an intriguing individual, even more so than her companions.

Hearing the commotion at the doors, Avani turned and looked with a frown at the gatecrashers. Setting down her glass of juice, she strode over to see what the fuss was about. I was startled when the two women quietly gasped at her approach, though they remained silent, apparently struck speechless as they stared at her. Standing before the pair at the fore of the group, Avani looked from the man to his companion and back again. "I'm sorry," she said firmly but not unkindly, "but the restaurant is closed for a private party at this time. In fact, the entire town is closed tonight. Perhaps you missed the notice at the airship dock. Do you have pressing business in town? Or can you return tomorrow?"

Then, to my complete and utter surprise, the man's face lit up at her voice, and reaching out to her, he pulled her to him and wrapped her in a tight embrace, her face looking as shocked as mine felt.

"Avani!" he cried joyfully, tears spilling down his cheeks. "I've come to you at last, my love!"

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	59. Chapter 59

**AN:** Please see the language & culture note at the end of the chapter. Thanks for reading-I hope you enjoy the story so far! I'd love to hear from you!

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><p>I, along with the rest of the town, stared at the foreigner embracing my wife—a man who had not only just called her by name, but who had <em>also<em> called her his love. My ears flattening in anger, I stepped forward and pulled Avani from his grasp. She looked up at me, looking bewildered and upset, and I put my arm protectively around her. "Who are you, and what is it that you want with _my wife_?" I growled.

"Sir!" one of the guards said, stepping forward and saluting. "These foreigners appeared out of nowhere in front of the airship! We tried to detain them, but they were very determined, sir! The silver-haired young lady in particular is quite spirited!" Avani nodded to him, dismissing him, and I looked again at the strange man as I awaited his reply.

He turned his unseeing eyes my direction. "You must be Leon," he replied with a half smile, and I started in surprise. "I will gladly answer your questions, but I think we should remove to somewhere more… well, private."

I stared angrily at him, then the lilac-haired woman moved where I could see her. As I glanced at her, she looked at me beseechingly, and in a soft voice, simply said, "Please?"

We stared at each other, her imploring eyes gazing into mine for several moments before she looked down at the ground. I looked at Avani, who, after a moment's hesitation, gave a barely perceptible nod. "Fine," I said, curtly. "Guards, you may release them and return to your patrol. I'm sure Forte will discuss this incident with you later." Keeping my arm around my wife's shoulders, I pushed through the group that had encircled us and out the door. "Follow me," I said.

"Wait," Dylas called after me. "I'm coming, too. I don't know what's going on, but I want to be there in case you need me."

As I nodded agreement, Arthur pushed through the crowd, saying, "And I, too, will come." I looked at him in surprise, and he smiled. "After all, it's my right and my responsibility to know what is going on in this town, especially when it concerns my representative."

I gave him a faint smile and said, "All right. You and Dylas can both come with us." Then turning back to the townsfolk as they stared after us, bewildered and curious, I called back to them. "Please excuse us for a while. Just go on with the party—we'll rejoin you when we are able." As Dylas pulled the doors closed behind us, I could hear Deasún strike up a lively tune on his mandolin while Margaret loudly exclaimed in dismay—apparently Porcoline had devoured quite a lot of the food while everyone was distracted.

Regaining her composure as we made our way through the dimly lit streets to the front door of our castle home, Avani again took the lead, though she still seemed leery of the strange man. As we walked, I glanced back behind me. The three strangers walked behind us, first the man and the lilac-haired woman, who was carefully guiding him along the unfamiliar path, then the silver-haired woman behind them, and Arthur and Dylas brought up the rear. I called back to our unexpected visitors, "What are your names?"

The man replied in his light tenor voice, with an accent I could not identify. I thought to myself that it was vaguely familiar, though I couldn't place it. "I am called Rishi. My wife's name is Sharmila, and behind us is Chanda."

"Wife?" I said, scowling. I wondered what he was playing at then, calling _my_ wife his 'love' when apparently he was a married man. Just then, we reached the entrance to our rooms. Avani unlocked the door and entered first to light the lamps as we followed. I directed the three strangers to sit on the sofa while I built up the fire, which was no more than coals. Although it was spring, the nights were still cool in our northern town. A fire would be very welcome, and not just for warmth—it would also provide additional light.

There weren't enough seats for everyone in our small sitting area, so I waved Arthur to one chair while leading Avani to the other. Dylas stood behind Arthur's chair, and I stood behind my wife and scowled at the trio.

"So," I began, "you say your names are Rishi, Sharmila, and Chanda. But who _are_ you? You aren't from around here—your clothes and your speech give that away readily enough. What is your business here? And how is it that you know my wife's name—and mine, for that matter?"

"Allow me to begin by giving you my full name and title. I am Rishi kumara Acanda, and I am the Ra'mara—the leader—of my tribe. We are the Ventuani, and your wife is Avani kumari Acanda—my sister."

You could have heard a pin drop, the room was so still.

"Y-y-your… your _what_?" Avani stammered, the blood draining from her face.

"My _twin_ sister, to be precise."

Looking at my wife's pale face in concern, I turned to the man who claimed kinship with her. "I don't know if what you say is true, but I must insist that you go gently with my wife. She has amnesia, and remembers nothing before her arrival here, save her first name."

He nodded agreement. "Yes, I know. I am the one responsible for her memory loss."

"You… you _what_?" Dylas roared, glaring balefully at him.

Avani stood up and looked at him. "Dylas, please calm down." Turning to the man called Rishi, she said, "Please explain what you mean. How are you responsible? I lost my memory in an accident. Are you… are you saying that _you_ caused the accident? Did _you_ send those soldiers against me?" She sat down again quickly, shaking, as the implications of his words and hers suddenly sank in.

I placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, then glared at the man, though I knew he couldn't see my expression. "Is that true? Did _you_ do this to her—to the one you now claim as your sister?" From across the room, I heard the sound of Dylas cracking his knuckles, apparently preparing himself for a fight.

Rishi held up a hand. "Please, you misunderstand me. I did not cause her _accident_; I caused her _memory loss_. Though the two appear on the surface to be related, they are, in fact, not—other than in their timing." He sighed and rose, turning towards Avani. "Perhaps this conversation would make more sense if I first restore your memory to you, my love."

"Will you stop calling her that?" I snapped, sensing her discomfort with his familiarity, and ill at ease with his use of that term of endearment myself, stranger that he was to us both.

"My apologies. That was ever our customary form of address, as the bond between us was a very close one. But for now, I will try to refrain, at least until her memory has been restored. May I now begin the process, my dear sister?"

She looked up at him uncertainly. "What… what is it you want to do to me exactly?"

"It's difficult to explain, especially since you don't remember any of our history. Essentially, I have blocked the part of your mind that stored all of your memories up until the moment you awoke from your accident. I sensed a little leakage here and there over the past year or two, but for the most part, the barrier holds firm. I need only remove that barrier, and you will remember… everything."

"I don't like the idea of a stranger—who may or may not be a relative—messing around in my wife's head," I said sternly.

But Avani looked up at me, then stood and gently stroked my cheek. She turned to face Rishi, and calmly said, "You may proceed." I started to protest, but she placed a finger on my lips. "No, Leon. It's time. If he really is who he says… if he really can bring back my memories… isn't it better to know the truth about my past than to turn and flee from it? Remember you and Dylas once told me that I cried out his name in my sleep—his, and one other's. So it's not inconceivable that he's telling the truth. And… I want to know."

I stepped back then, despite my concerns. Rishi held out his hand to her, and she stepped forward to face him. "I must warn you," he said, his brow furrowed, "that the sudden influx of memory may be a shock to you. Especially as some of your memories… well, to say some of them are not pleasant is an understatement. Are you prepared for this?"

She straightened up. "Will… will it harm my baby?" she asked, a flicker of fear passing over her face.

The woman called Sharmila stepped forward. "May I?" Avani and I looked at her, uncertain what she intended. "I am one of the seers of our people as well as the wife of your brother," she explained. "I will attempt to ascertain if your child will come to harm, though it seems unlikely as long as you both are in good health."

Avani hesitated a moment, then nodded. Sharmila stepped forward and placed her hands on the roundness of her belly and closed her eyes in concentration. A moment later they flew open, and she looked, startled, into Avani's eyes. After a slight pause, she removed her hands, saying, "Your children will be fine."

"Children?" I said, sharply.

"What… what do you mean?" Avani asked, her eyes wide.

"Did you not know that you carry twins? I didn't realize that Rishi had blocked your memories so completely that you even lost your awareness of our genetic heritage. Yet somehow…. Well, all that aside, like you and your brother, your children are male and female. I'm surprised you were unable to sense even that, even if you weren't aware that you should be able to do so."

"I… I think perhaps I might have," she replied, faintly. "Only, I misinterpreted it. Leo asked if I thought we'd be having a boy or a girl, and I couldn't tell which—I felt equally pulled both directions. I thought I just didn't know, but maybe it was because there was one of each."

"Quite likely. Anyway, you should be safe to proceed. But as Rishi warned you, this may be a shock to you. I suggest that you lie down first, to make it easier on you. You… may lose consciousness, if you become overwhelmed."

Avani looked up at me, nervous yet determined to go through with it, and then slowly walked over to the bed and lay down. I pulled a blanket over her, in case she really did experience shock, then I sat next to her and held her hand. I looked over at Rishi and asked. "All right, what next? Do you need to… lay hands on her or anything?"

He turned our direction and smiled. "Contact strengthens the connection between us, but it is not _strictly_ necessary. It will help if I may touch her—just a hand on her head is enough. However, as much as it pains me, I realize that for now, I am only a stranger to her. So if my touch alarms or distresses her, I will refrain."

Avani looked up at me and I smiled at her reassuringly. "Fear not, My Lady. Whatever happens, I'm here with you."

She smiled then, and looked at Rishi. "It's okay. Do whatever you need to do."

Sharmila guided Rishi over to the bed, and I suggested she bring a chair from the kitchen for him to sit on. She did so, and Rishi sat down next to Avani and held out his hand. Sharmila placed his palm on Avani's forehead and stepped back behind his seat, watching closely. I noticed that she bit her lip as if in concern or fear, and that there were tears welling up in her eyes. I quickly looked back at Avani, who had closed her eyes as she waited patiently to face the unknown.

"Here we go. Brace yourself. I… I wish I could somehow ease this for you, my… my sister."

I don't know what I expected—a flash of light, a burst of noise… _something_. But nothing seemed to happen, at least, nothing apparent to mere observers. But after a moment, Avani's eyes flew open, and she stared, unseeing, at the ceiling as a wide range of emotions passed rapidly over her face: happiness and joy and curiosity were predominant at first, mingled with the stubbornness that I knew so well. Quickly, new emotions entered the mix: love, and dismay, and anger, and soon afterwards, loathing and despair. Before much longer, the earlier emotions of happiness and joy had all but vanished, and the loathing and despair became the predominant emotions. Then stark terror filled her eyes, erasing all traces of every other emotion, and she struggled to rise. Her mouth opened as if to cry out, but no sound emerged. Then she fell back, senseless.

I looked up, panicked despite the warning that had been given, as I clung tightly to her hand. "Is she… will she be all right? What is it? What happened?" I was surprised to see tears not only in Sharmila's eyes, but also in Rishi's. Even Chanda, who had quietly crept over to us, had a suspicious moisture on her cheeks.

Rishi nodded slowly. "She… she will be as well as can be expected. She… has remembered…." He faltered and closed his eyes.

"Remembered _what_? What is it that filled her with such terror?"

Chanda slipped between Rishi and the bed and knelt down next to Avani, gently stroking her pale cheek with a gloved hand as she gazed at her. Without looking away from her face, she whispered, "Her wedding night."

* * *

><p><strong>Language &amp; culture note:<strong> The names and other words used are from Sanskrit. The old tribal language is not Sanskrit, but is inspired by it. Likewise, aspects of the culture, such as dress, are taken from cultures in Asia, particularly the Indian subcontinent. It is not meant to be based on or a reflection upon any real group of people.

**Disclaimer:** Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	60. Chapter 60

**AN:** Thank you for reading! Please let me know how you like the story so far! :)

* * *

><p>I looked at Chanda sharply. "Our <em>wedding night<em>? Why would _that_ be so terrifying to her? I was _there_, damn it, and fear was the _last_ thing either of us was feeling!"

Chanda shook her head slowly. "No… not _your_ wedding night. Hers and… and… _his_." She shuddered, and another tear slowly trickled down her cheek.

I felt the room begin to spin for a moment as her words hit me. "Her… _her_ wedding night? Hers and _whose_? Just what are you saying?"

Dylas had stormed over angrily by then, quickly joined by Arthur. "What are you people getting at? What do you mean by 'her wedding night'?" Dylas demanded.

Rishi sighed. "Avani has slipped from unconsciousness into slumber. I'll try to explain as best I can while she rests. Perhaps if we return to the fire, we will be less of a disturbance to her. I think she needs to sleep for now."

I shook my head. "No. Absolutely not. I'm not leaving her until she wakes up. I don't understand what's going on, but I don't want her to wake up frightened and alone."

Chanda stood up and looked at me. "Go ahead. I'll stay with her."

"Who _are_ you, anyway?" I asked, frowning, reluctant to just hand my wife over to a total stranger. "Another relative? A sister?"

"I'm her wife," she replied calmly.

I jumped up angrily. "What the hell!"

Sharmila raised her hand, cutting me off. She turned to Chanda with a reproving look. "Chanda… you _know_ that isn't true. We can do without unnecessary provocation right now. Things are difficult enough as it is without you making them worse."

Chanda crossed her arms over her chest and looked down at the floor with a sullen expression. "It _should_ be true. She won me fair and square."

"_What_? What is _with_ you people? What do you mean, Avani 'won' you? Will someone _please_ explain what's going on?" I felt anger and frustration displacing my bewilderment, and clenched my fists as I struggled to maintain some composure.

Sharmila pulled Rishi up, and taking me by the arm, she led us both back to the sitting area by the fire. I glanced back and saw Chanda sit in the chair Rishi had just vacated, watching over Avani as she slept. I sat down in the chair Arthur had previously occupied, from which I could keep an eye on my wife, and glared at the couple on the sofa and waited. Arthur sat down in the other chair, and Dylas paced before the fire, his face still stormy.

Laying a hand on Rishi's arm, Sharmila said, "Perhaps it would be best if I filled them in. You can correct me or add things as you see fit, but I know the story is not an easy one for you to tell. At least, parts of it." He nodded, and she looked over at me.

"To begin at the beginning, since you know nothing of us or our people…. As Rishi mentioned, we are the Ventuani. We once were a great nation, many centuries ago, but we have dwindled both in number and in power. Only a few of us remain, though our blood flows in the veins of many. We were the original Avanani, or what you call 'Earthmates'. We serve Ventu, the God of Creation, and the manifestation of his will on our plane: the Native Dragon that bears his name, Ventu's Will, now simplified to Ventuswill, all memory of her origin long since forgotten or lost with the passage of time, except among our people.

"Though we once reigned over much of the continent, our people grew decadent and our line became dilute. Eventually we were overthrown, and a new civilization replaced our own—the forerunners of today's rulers, I believe. The survivors of that conflict spent the next few centuries as nomads, wandering to and fro across the continent, crossing borders undetected, before finally settling in the hills and mountains far to the south of your kingdom. Hoping to preserve what was left of our bloodline, we banned marriages to outsiders without explicit permission from our leader, the Ra'mara of the Ventuani. Although once all of our people had been powerful Avanani, now only a few were born with any such power, and that usually greatly diminished at best. The hallmarks by which an Avanan of our people was known were green eyes or green hair. The truer the green, the better, and both green eyes and hair indicated still greater power. Avani was the first child born with both true green eyes and true green hair in many, many generations, and her birth caused much sensation on that account. For comparison, Rishi's hair is a yellow-green, and his eyes are a very light blue-green; therefore, he possesses less rune ability than his sister. Chanda possesses only one green eye, and has just enough power for the most basic spells.

"Adding to the attention their birth drew was the fact that they were twins, male and female, which in our tribe, means that they would become the Dragon Knight and Dragon Priest or Priestess. It had been our custom for centuries that such births—something of a rarity among us—be thus designated, but usually the role of the Knight fell to the male, while the female was trained as Priestess. However, as Rishi was born essentially blind, he could not fill the customary role of Knight, and so they were reversed. Avani was given the title of Dragon Knight, whose duty it is to protect the Priestess—and Ventuswill herself, should we ever return to power.

"Further complicating things was their parentage—their father was the Ra'mara of the tribe. Our tribe practices male-preferred primogeniture, so although Avani had been born before her brother, Rishi was first in line to take over the tribal leadership upon their father's death or abdication. Some harbored doubts about his fitness to lead the tribe, wondering how a man so handicapped could lead the tribe if we were attacked or if we went to war. Most considered the point moot, as we have not taken part in any conflict within any living man's, or woman's, memory. Still, there were some skeptics then—and are still even to this day.

"Now, in our tribe, we have a triumvirate of seers, bearing the titles of the Nivara, or maid; the Janani, or mother; and the Narmara, or crone. Upon the death of the Narmara, the Janani is promoted to Narmara, and the Nivara to Janani, and the first girl child born after the former Narmara's death becomes the new Nivara. As soon as she is weaned from her mother's breast, she is taken to the temple, where she is raised by the Janani and trained by the Narmara. A child born on the night of either the full moon or the new is considered especially auspicious for such a role, as she is believed to be particularly powerful. If born on the night of the new moon, her power is believed to be largely negative, and she will be revered but feared; if the moon is full, her power is positive, and she will be loved instead of feared. I was such a child, born in the middle of the night of the harvest moon two days after the death of the previous Narmara. It was foretold that I would be an especially strong Janani, and I was given a name that means 'protector' or 'comfort' in the ancient tongue of our people.

"One of the roles of the seer among our people is to determine a child's name, either before or immediately after birth. The name is always in the old tongue, which is now used only for names, titles, and spells, and although few know the meanings of the names given, they represent the child's future or personality. Therefore, to name a child is also to name his or her destiny. Rishi means 'wise man' and Chanda means 'fierce' or 'passionate'. Avani is similar to our word for the Earthmates, the Avanani, and means much the same thing. Avani means 'woman of the earth', while Avanani means 'people of the earth'. Her name implied that she would have great rune power, and many hoped that her birth heralded a return to our former glory. In addition, at her birth, the Narmara foretold that she would change the fate of the world.

"This prophesy caused a great deal of excitement at her birth, as you can no doubt imagine. Unfortunately, it also drew the attention of… of the man she would one day marry. He was, at her birth, a boy of twelve, but apparently he had already set his feet upon the path that he would follow throughout his life, even to this day. Please forgive me, Leon, but I cannot bring myself to speak his name. None of us three can. It is… an anathema to us, as is its bearer. Even the _meaning_ of his name… it means 'terrible' or 'formidable'." She shifted in her seat, shivering slightly despite the warmth of the fire, and her eyes clouded for a moment at some private thought or memory before she continued.

"Anyway, after the prophesy was given, it seems _he_ determined that he would marry her, that she was somehow key to his goals, whatever they were. So when he was sixteen years of age and Avani was but a child of four, he approached their father, the Ra'mara, and asked permission to marry her when she reached a marriageable age. Our father, after much deliberation, finally consented, with the provision that Avani be permitted to retain her title of Dragon Knight and the duties and training appurtenant thereto, and that he wait until she reached the age of eighteen—the age at which her training and education would be complete—before the marriage took place. His family was an old family, and one of the few remaining nearly pure bloodlines, but the line was dying out. He was, in fact, the only son born to it, and its only chance for survival. Marriage to… to the scion of that family line was considered advantageous in many ways, not least of which was that he himself was so well-regarded. He was… _is_… considered to be extremely attractive, and he _can_ be very charismatic—when it suits him, that is."

Rishi interrupted in a quiet voice, staring towards the fire. "She was a beautiful child, Leon. So happy and cheerful, always kind and helpful. Our mother called her 'Kunapi' when she was little, which was our name for a tiny, lively, pretty green songbird found in the mountain forests of our home. She always helped me, guiding me as we walked, and keeping me safe while we played. All my life, I've never been able to see more than blurred shapes and blobs of light and color. But while my vision was so poor as to be all but useless, I instead gained something else: a telepathic link to my twin. It was only one-way, but it was still something special that tied us even more closely together. I could see what she saw, hear what she heard, feel what she felt… and, with great difficulty, I could even speak to her in her mind. All her senses were at my disposal, but none of mine were at hers. It was a secret that we shared, and we often used it to pull pranks on the adults. I had no control over it, though, as a child, and could not turn it off and on at will.

"As I was saying, she was a lovely, sweet child, and we were the best of friends. I loved my sister dearly, and I would have done anything for her, though my abilities were few in comparison to hers. She began her training for her role as the Knight at an early age, only eight—barely large enough to lift a short sword. She also began to learn the ways of the Avanani, and all this was in addition to her formal education. Her teachers, each and every one, remarked in astonishment at her talent, at how quickly she learned, at her thirst for knowledge.

"She had very little time to herself after her education began in earnest. What little playtime she had was usually spent with me or with Chanda, who was marked an outcaste at birth. Despite that, Avani befriended her, though few others would even speak to her—even her own family avoided her. So Chanda rewarded my sister's kindness to her with absolute, unconditional devotion. "

"Why was she marked an outcaste?" Arthur interrupted, curiously. "We have no such notion in Norad."

"Don't you?" Rishi asked in honest surprise. "You mean, you have no dregs of society, people who are shunned and avoided and looked down upon due to something beyond their control, such as illness or injury, poverty or ancestry?" Arthur looked somewhat taken aback, but Rishi continued. "You will have noticed Chanda's eyes are fairly unusual. I'm told that one is red and the other is green. Unfortunately, many in our tribe, especially among the older generations, are very superstitious, and such heterochromia is considered an ill omen, particularly if one eye is red—that's considered to be a devil's mark. I know it sounds foolish—and it _is_ foolish. But it wasn't in the least funny for Chanda growing up like that. I didn't care, in part because I couldn't even see her eyes and in part because Avani insisted it didn't matter. But Avani didn't need anyone to tell _her_ that—she just believed with all her heart that Chanda was a good person. She had very egalitarian views not only as a child, but as an adult as well.

"And so things continued for a few years, Avani learning swordplay and martial arts, horticulture and animal husbandry, and many other things considered befitting a young lady of our tribe, such as cooking, sewing, needlework, and music, while I prepared for my priestly duties with the Narmara, who were simultaneously training Sharmila, the Nivara. In addition to these vocational studies, we still had our formal education: reading, writing, mathematics, tribal history, storytelling, and spellcasting. Some of these I was not taught, due to my impairment, but I learned them nonetheless through Avani's eyes. And she taught much of what she learned to Chanda, who was denied an education after many parents objected to her attendance in our little school. Chanda didn't care much for formal education, and balked at learning much beyond basic reading and writing and arithmetic, though she did enjoy when my sister would tell her our history as stories. And she excelled at combat training, making an excellent sparring partner for Avani—which no doubt contributed to her rapid progress.

"When we were fourteen, though, I became aware one day of a… a difference in my sister—of a new sentiment, a new… _focus_ hidden deep in her mind. And soon I realized… my beloved sister—my best friend—was in love."

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	61. Chapter 61

**AN:** Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think so far, I love to hear from readers! :)

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><p>"His name was Sundara…."<p>

We all jumped at the sound of Avani's voice, and I half-rose as I quickly looked her way. She was sitting up on the bed, her chin resting on her knees as she stared at nothing, and Chanda was standing next to her, stroking her hair as she looked back at us in distress.

"You mean your former lover? The one you remembered in your dreams one night?" I asked, trying to remember the details of that conversation. She had said he'd died… no, that he'd been murdered.

"Yes. He was two years older than me, and a vocational music student, the apprentice to the lead pravada, or bard. One of his duties was to help teach the non-vocational students, such as me. Although he was very talented and could play many instruments as well as sing—he had a beautiful voice—he was especially skilled with the sur-mandal. Do you remember his instrument, Rishi? It was so beautiful, painted like the tip of a peacock's tail feather. He loved peafowl, and kept a pair as pets…." A strangled sob escaped her throat, and she hugged her legs more tightly.

Sharmila glanced at Rishi, then looked over to me. "Perhaps… perhaps we should go and continue this conversation tomorrow. Avani has been through a lot tonight, and she should rest. I imagine that she is feeling overwhelmed and overwrought at the sudden return of her memory. Will that be acceptable?"

I looked at my wife's huddled form as she wept quietly on the bed, then looked over to Dylas and Arthur, both of whom gave no indication of any preference. With a sigh, I said, "Yes, that will be acceptable. I think you are correct—a good night's rest should help her."

Rishi turned towards me. "Is there a place in town where we may stay the night? We _could_ transport back to our village if needed, but such travel is taxing."

Arthur spoke up. "There is an inn in town. The innkeeper, along with all the rest of the town, is at a celebration tonight and is not accepting guests. However, under the circumstances, I'm certain she will make an exception for you. If you will just come with me, I will introduce you."

I stood up, too, saying, "My apologies that I cannot offer you a bed here. We only have a small daybed in the study for guests. However, if there is only room for the two of you at the inn, Chanda could stay there tonight."

Dylas glanced questioningly at me, then added, "Or if there is only room for one at the inn, I could sleep on the daybed here and Rishi and Sharmila could have my room for the night."

"Thank you," Rishi said, bowing slightly first to me, then to Arthur and Dylas. "Your kindness is appreciated."

As I led them to the back door, to take the shortcut through the gardens to the restaurant, I said, "Then let's reconvene tomorrow, say at 10:00? Arthur, could we perhaps use your office? Or would you prefer to meet here?"

Before he could answer, though, Avani looked up at me and said barely above a whisper, "Here, please, Leo. It's more… private."

Sharmila led Rishi to Avani, and he bent down to kiss her on her head. "Then goodnight, Avani dear. I hope you rest well," he said to her gently.

She reached up and hesitantly touched his cheek. "Good night, Rishi, my love. I… I'm glad you found me again." He grasped her hand and held it tightly for a moment, then released it and turned to leave. Sharmila also kissed her head, whispering something that brought a half-smile to Avani's face before she, too, took her leave.

Chanda hesitated, reluctant to leave. Avani smiled at her, though her eyes still glistened with tears in the amber light. She reached out and pulled the silver-haired woman into an embrace, murmuring, "Thank you for coming with Rishi and Sharmila, Chanda. We have a lot to catch up on, so please come again tomorrow. Right now, I need to rest, though. I'm so very tired…."

Her friend straightened up and nodded, but said nothing. Then she, too, gave her a quick kiss on her head before darting out the door, past everyone else.

Arthur bade us good night and said he'd return if there were any difficulties with procuring beds for our guests tonight. Then he led the others out the door, leaving only Dylas, who looked suddenly, strangely, shy.

"So… uhh, I guess this means you've recovered your memories? That's good. I know how much it bothered you, that you couldn't remember. I'm glad for you."

Avani again leaned her head against her knees, shivering as if suddenly chilled. "Thanks, Dylas. But… I'm not sure you _should_ be… nor that I am."

Looking a little baffled, Dylas then followed the others out into the night, and I quietly closed the door behind him.

Avani looked up at me, and she appeared weary beyond words. "I know you must have a lot of questions, Leo. But… I am so very tired. And I can't really… I haven't completely assimilated everything yet. It's all in confusion still, my mind, that is. Can you wait until tomorrow? Let me sleep on it. And would you ask the butlers to see to my crops and animals tomorrow, please? I think I'm going to need all the sleep I can get."

I sighed to myself—I'd very much hoped to talk things over with her once we were alone, to find out… to find out just what had frightened her so. But I wouldn't press her—she would tell me in her own time. "Of course, My Lady," I replied, but before I left to write a note for Volkanon, I sat next to her and put my arms around her, holding her tightly. "Just remember what I told you—I'm here with you. No matter what happens, I will _never_ forsake you."

She leaned against me, saying, "Thanks, Leo. And I can at least tell you this much is true—Rishi _is_ my own dear twin brother. It… it's incomprehensible to me that I could have lived the past three years without him in my life." And with that, she lay back down, and even before I rose, she was sound asleep again.

* * *

><p>"Mr. Leon, sir?" A soft voice penetrated the mists of my dreams, and as my final fantasy gave way to reality, I opened my eyes to see Vishnal hovering anxiously over me, one hand gently resting on my shoulder.<p>

"Yeah?" I replied groggily, blinking in the light of a sunny spring morning, dazzling to my tired eyes despite being filtered through the draperies. "What's up? Is anything wrong? Didn't Volkanon get my note?"

"Oh, yes, sir! Everything's taken care of! He said that you asked me to wake you and Princess at 9:00, and that's what time it is now."

"Dragonsbreath, is it that late already?" I sighed and sat up. "Thanks, Vishnal. I'll wake Avani up after I've made breakfast. Let's let her sleep while she can, all right?"

"Yes sir, but there's no need to make breakfast. Clorica already made breakfast for you! She'll be along in just a few minutes with it."

"Ahh, that's very kind of her. Thanks, I'll take it from here." I started to swing my legs off the bed to rise, but Vishnal remained where he was, still looking anxious. "Is… there something else?" I asked, eying him curiously.

"Well… no… I mean, nothing _official_ anyway…." he replied, looking flustered.

"Come on, out with it, man. What is it?"

"I-it's just that… is… is it true what they're saying? That the strange man that showed up at the party last night is Princess's brother, and that he's come to take her away?"

I looked at him, startled. The rumor mill never ceased to amaze me—it always came up with such surprising things, both back in my time and in this present time.

"I suppose that's half true. He _is_ her brother, but as far as I know, he hasn't come to take her away. Even if he wants her to go back with him, she's not going anywhere she doesn't want to go. So don't fret, Vishnal. She's happy here, and I'm sure here is where she'll choose to stay."

He looked relieved at that, and with a cheerful smile, he took his leave just as Clorica arrived with a breakfast tray. With a sigh, I got out of bed, placing a finger on my lips to ask her to be quiet. She nodded, and took the tray into the kitchen, then hurried back out, smiling as she waved goodbye before silently closing the door behind her.

I slipped into my robe, then turned to look at my wife, still soundly asleep. I'd managed to get her into her nightgown last night—a simple, loose chemise that still fit comfortably around her round belly. She'd barely stirred as I'd removed her clothing and pulled the gown over her head, she was so completely drained from the night's events. If I could, I'd let her sleep as long as she wanted.

But time and tide wait for no man—or woman—and our guests would arrive in less than an hour. So, regretfully, I shook her gently by the shoulder until her eyelids fluttered, then flew open as she looked, startled, into my eyes. I smiled down at her, saying, "Good morning, My Lady. It's time we were up and preparing for our guests' arrival."

She looked confused for a moment, then in the blink of an eye, I saw dawning realization as the recollection of last night crashed over her like a tidal wave. Her eyes opened wide, her pupils dilated for an instant at some memory, and then she was up and darting towards her wardrobe, exclaiming delightedly over the scent of Clorica's breakfast wafting in from the kitchen, the split second of fear or shock already a thing of the past.

We had just finished drying the last dish and stacked it on the tray when there was a knock on the back door. Avani went to answer it while I hurried off to return the clean dishes to Clorica, along with our thanks. When I returned, Avani was sitting on the arm of the sofa next to her brother, his wife seated between him and Chanda. Arthur occupied the chair near the back door, and Dylas paced restlessly between the cellar stairs and the bed, his eyes darting between Avani and the trio on the sofa. Everyone looked up as I walked in and closed the door behind me, and I nodded in greeting, gesturing for Dylas to take the empty chair. He shook his head, saying, "Nah, you take it. I don't feel like sitting." However, he stopped pacing and leaned against the back of Arthur's chair.

I looked over at Avani, who returned my gaze with a slight nod. She rose and walked over, sitting in the empty chair. I sat on the arm of her chair and waited. Before she could say a word, though, Rishi spoke up. "Before any more time passes, Avani, my love, I have a few things to say that you need to hear." She turned to look at him, her brow furrowed in concern. "In the three years since you departed, our parents have both passed away. Our mother first, shortly after you disappeared. Our father only recently passed, so I now lead our tribe. Furthermore, now that you have recovered your memory, I want you to know why I chose the course of action I took."

Avani held up her hand, tears in her eyes. "Wait. Our mother… she's gone?"

He nodded. "I… convinced everyone that you had died in the fall from the airship. It seemed the perfect opportunity—it was a verifiable event, and certainly death was a reasonable outcome of such an accident. Only I knew that you survived at first, though eventually I confided in Sharmila. Even Chanda didn't know until we departed. Our mother grieved greatly for you, but I think the final blow was… she learned from our father what you had told him about your marriage. I was there when her told her, and she was devastated. _She_ didn't doubt your claims. By morning, she… she was gone. And Father…."

Avani cut him off, a hard look in her eyes. "Save your breath, Rishi. You _know_ how I feel about our father. As for why you sealed my memory and told everyone that I was dead… I understand, I think. You wanted to keep me from returning… returning to _him_. And to keep him from looking for me. Isn't that right?"

Rishi nodded, his eyes troubled. "I still don't know if I did the right thing. It was… all I could do to protect you. The first time I've _ever_ been able to do something to protect you…."

Sharmila put her hand over his, and Avani looked first at me, then at her brother. She smiled, and said kindly, "Don't doubt yourself, Rishi, my love. If you hadn't… I wouldn't have met Venti, and then I'd never have made so many kind friends, or met Leo. Although my amnesia troubled me deeply, I've still lived a happier life since coming here than I had for some years before. Everything happens for a reason… even if we can't fully comprehend those reasons at the time."

He relaxed, looking relieved, and smiled . Then everyone looked expectantly at Avani, and she cleared her throat, a little nervously, I thought. She looked up at me, worried again, and I smiled reassuringly at her. She smiled back, then her smile faded as she looked off into space, remembering.

"To continue from last night, Sundara was an apprentice musician, and one of his many tasks was to help students like me learn music. I can still remember the day I realized I was falling in love with him, as clearly as though it was yesterday. Of course, we'd known each other all our lives—our tribe wasn't _that_ large or widespread. But one day late in spring, I looked over at him as he sat beneath a tree, playing his sur-mandal, stealing a few minutes of time to himself while we students copied a musical score for practice. I'd looked up to ask a question, but when I saw him, my heart suddenly felt constricted, as if it had been tightly bound and was trying to burst free. I just stared at him, struck dumb by the beauty of it all—his and his music's and just everything all together.

"I'm not sure how long I stared, but he looked up after a bit and caught me. I remember looking away in embarrassment, but my gaze kept returning to him anyway—and soon each time I looked his way, I found him looking back at me, seemingly both amused and surprised. I don't really remember the music that I copied that day, nor playing it later. But I do remember the sweetness of the tune _he_ played, there in the shade of the huge old mango tree.

"When he dismissed us for the afternoon, he called me back. Swinging up onto the lower limbs of the tree, he reached up and plucked a ripe mango—the first of that season's harvest—and jumped back down, landing gracefully. He tucked his sur-mandal under his arm, and asked me if I would walk with him and talk with him. I just nodded, still speechless, but he smiled beautifully. As we strolled down the hilly path, he pulled out his knife and shaved off bits of mango and fed them to me, talking all the while, not just about music, but about the birds he'd heard and the flowers and the trees he'd seen while on his solitary walks in the hills. From that day on, we always went for walks all over the hills and valleys when we both had free time together.

"That was when I was fourteen and he was sixteen. He kissed me for the first time nearly a year later, on my fifteenth birthday—my birthday is really Spring 17, Leo, not Fall 2, as Venti had chosen at random, and I'll be twenty-five on my next birthday. Anyway, Sundara had found a pretty little wild orchid growing in the mist at the back of a tiny wisp of a waterfall tumbling between two mossy rocks into a pool of deep blue water, and took me to see it. He told me… he said that it was the waterfall's birthday gift to me, as the flower was too ephemeral to survive the night. He'd come across it on one of his walks and had watched for it to bloom, which it had finally done just that morning. Then… he leaned over and kissed me and said that was _his_ gift to me, but that he hoped I'd be willing to accept many more of the same in the future." She sighed, and closed her eyes to hide the tears that I saw sparkling there.

"Later, he told me that he'd fallen in love with me one day summer day shortly before he turned sixteen, while he was showing me how to tune my new sarode—which is kind of like a lute—for the first time. He said he had thought to himself that I smelled like fresh earth and the forest and sunshine, and that my voice was like the laughter of a mountain rivulet. From then on, he said, he began taking walks in the woods whenever he had a little free time, hoping to see me there. Then, almost a year afterwards, when he caught me staring at him that day as he played under the mango tree, he knew from my eyes that _finally_ I had noticed him, too, and his heart leapt with joy.

"When he turned eighteen, he told me that he wanted to spend the rest of his days with me, that he could never love another as he loved me. I knew, of course, that I'd been betrothed since I was hardly more than a babe to… to another. But it had never felt _real_. He knew of my betrothal, too—everyone did. After all, I was the Princess, and my eventual marriage was of keen interest to the whole tribe. But he hoped to persuade my father to change his mind. So on that day, he approached my father to petition him to nullify my betrothal and allow me to marry him instead.

"I… I don't know how _he_ learned of it… but somehow he did, and as Sundara spoke with my father while I waited by his side, he stormed into the room. He reminded my father that his honor was at stake; should he break our betrothal, our family would be dishonored, and his ability to lead the tribe compromised. My father agreed with him, and denied Sundara his petition. Then… then _he_ demanded to know if I was still a virgin, and when I said yes, he further demanded that I remain a virgin until our marriage. We were all shocked—that was _never_ a requirement among our people, at least, not within memory."

Sharmila broke in then, saying, "A word of explanation about our customs regarding love, marriage, and childbearing might be helpful, Avani." She looked at me, then glanced over at Arthur and Dylas, who were both rapt, then back to me. "You see, our ancestors were a barbaric people, so to aid the beleaguered women of the tribe, the seers developed a way to control our fertility by will alone, which eventually became innate. In other words, a woman of our people can only become pregnant when she formulates the will to do so. This power evened the scales, so to speak, and the men quickly began to treat their women better—those who failed to do so rarely succeeded in reproducing, and so the more violent family lines quickly died out.

"However, marriages to this day continue to be arranged and occasionally even forced—as in Avani's case. Marriage is seen as a way to continue bloodlines and to combine abilities in the hopes of concentrating and enhancing them. Although some marriages are more fortunate, and both parties either learn to love each other or, rarely, as with Rishi and me, two lovers might even be permitted to marry, most marriages are little more than a glorified breeding program. Love is seen as an entirely separate concept from marriage.

"Because of this separation of love and marriage, pre-marital and extra-marital relations are not considered taboo or even frowned upon. They are, in fact, considered an important aspect of our lives, providing for our emotional needs in ways that marriage frequently does not. On the other hand, since women can control childbearing to such a high degree, giving birth to a child fathered by anyone other than one's husband is _strictly_ taboo, and on the very, very rare occasions when it has occurred, it has resulted in the banishment of both the mother and her illegitimate child from the tribe."

"So… you could fool around with anyone as much as you wanted, married or not, as long as you didn't have kids outside of marriage?" Dylas asked, frowning as he tried to understand the concept.

Sharmila nodded. "Yes, that's right. So his demand that Avani remain a virgin until her wedding night was highly unusual, and to many of our people, utterly unreasonable."

Avani picked up her narrative again then. "But he promised to recompense _my father_ with an increased bride-price, the remainder of which he would pay after confirming that I was indeed still intact. My father didn't approve of my growing interest in Sundara, whom he considered beneath me, so he readily agreed—knowing that would keep us apart to some degree, at least for a time.

"That wasn't enough for him, though. Afterwards, after Sundara left in defeat, he followed me outside and cornered me in my stable. He said that I _belonged_ to him, and that he expected me to abide by his wishes. Because, he said, if I _didn't_…." Her pupils suddenly and rapidly dilated, her eyes nearly black as she was gripped with the remembered terror of that threat, and she began to shiver uncontrollably. I knelt next to her, alarmed by the sudden change in her demeanor and attempting to soothe her, while Chanda jumped up, nearly colliding with Dylas as they both darted towards Avani.

Arthur stood and cleared his throat, concerned but calm, as always. "Perhaps we should take a break. I see that it is nearly midday; let's all go to Porcoline's for lunch, and our guests can meet some of the townsfolk, if they would care to do so? Then once Avani has had a chance to recover, we can continue."

Rishi and Sharmila agreed, and Chanda merely shrugged indifferently from where she knelt on Avani's other side, unable to take her worried eyes off her long enough to respond properly. "Go on ahead, and we'll join you there shortly," I said to Arthur, who nodded in response. He took Dylas by the arm, and Sharmila took Rishi's arm and nudged Chanda along as they departed, leaving by the front door to take the longer route, giving us a little more time.

Once we were alone, Avani looked up at me with tears in her eyes. "He… he threatened to kill Sundara if I… if I didn't…." And then she threw her arms around my neck and sobbed as I held her tightly, wondering what manner of being she had been tied to—and whether those ties bound her still.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


	62. Chapter 62

**AN: Warning!** Things begin to get a little dark here. Particularly sensitive readers may find the next few chapters distressing or possibly even triggering. Just remember, the darkest hour is just before the dawn! Let me know what you think—I'd love to hear from you!

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><p>When we arrived at Porcoline's, Avani and I found Arthur, Dylas, and her brother and friends at the center of a decent-sized crowd of curious townsfolk. Although Rishi and Sharmila looked as though they were enjoying themselves, Chanda looked every bit as uncomfortable as Dylas at the unsolicited attention.<p>

The crowd parted as we approached, and I saw that the seats that had been intended for us were occupied by Amber, who was eagerly asking Chanda all sorts of questions about the flowers and animals in the southern ranges, to the latter's obvious discomfiture, and by Kiel, who was happily discussing tribal legends and lore with Rishi.

Arthur noticed us first of the group, and rose to greet us. Kiel immediately jumped up, then when Amber remained oblivious, he nudged her hard to draw her attention to our arrival. After a moment of looking around in confusion, she exclaimed and hopped up, moving out of our way with a giggle. Avani and I sat in the recently vacated seats, and the crowd slowly dispersed, giving us more privacy.

"So this is your new home," Rishi said, smiling. "I can see the attraction. The people here are very welcoming, though I admit I had some initial doubts after our reception."

"My apologies," Arthur said, "but to be fair, it isn't every day that a trio of strangers simply… _materializes_ in the middle of the street."

Rishi looked surprise. "You mean, you cannot teleport?"

"Only in a very restricted fashion. We have a spell that enables us to return to Selphia, or to the nearest pre-determined, secure location to the town, from wherever we are. But we can't go just _anywhere_—only to or towards the town gates, or from the gates to our homes. So you see, it is rather limited in scope. Most transportation here is done either via airship or on foot."

"I see," Rishi said, thoughtfully. "We have a spell that allows us to teleport to any location that we can visualize. So we can't go anywhere that we haven't already been, or that has suffered significant alteration since our last visit—the spell simply fails in that instance. We can take anything or anyone that is in contact with us when we cast it, as well. Since we are a primarily agrarian society, it was developed as a means of traveling to and from our more distant fields."

"But you've never been here before," Dylas interjected with a frown. "So how could you teleport here when you'd never seen the town?"

Rishi smiled again, saying, "Ahh, but I _had_ seen it before—through Avani's eyes. I checked in on her from time to time, to make sure she was still well. And the street adjacent to your airship dock was one of the sights I'd seen most often. I didn't want to appear suddenly in her quarters, as I feared that would badly frighten her, so the street seemed like a better choice."

"Interesting," Arthur mused. "A spell like that could be quite useful. Or, it could be terribly abused. I suspect that is the case with much of your magic. I should very much like some time to sit with you and Sharmila, both of you, and learn more of your tribe's ways. You say you live in the foothills and mountains to the south? I would like to determine whether your village lies entirely within the borders of Norad, or if you span two nations."

"I believe I can help you with that," Sharmila spoke up. "Seers are, after all, the repository of our history and knowledge, barring specifically vocational information, such as pertains to the Avanani, for example. However, I will need to absent myself for a few hours sometime today—I need to return to the temple to check on Pavitra, whom I left in her mother's care."

"Pavitra?" Avani asked, curiously.

"The new Nivara. Do you remember quiet little Tuhina? She married shortly before you left. Pavitra is her second child. She just finished weaning near the end of winter and was handed over to my care. But it was agreed that I needed to accompany Rishi, so her mother is caring for her again in my absence. I promised that I would check in on her every day or so, though."

"Tuhina has children already?" Avani asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Yes, a son, Nada, and Pavitra, and she just learned that another is on the way—which is why I promised to check in on her often. She suffers greatly from the early sickness, more than most women. I believe that she will choose not to have more children after this one, if I'm not greatly mistaken."

"It sounds like there's a lot to catch up on. The changes with the seers and Tuhina's children… I'm sure there must be other births and deaths and marriages, too." Avani said, a little wistfully. Then, with a faint glimmer of hope, she said, "I don't suppose…."

Anticipating her question, Sharmila sadly shook her head. "No. He still lives, as far as I know."

"As far as you know?" Avani replied, bewildered.

Sharmila looked over at her husband, then Chanda, hesitating. Rishi looked towards Avani, and replied, slowly, "He seems to have… well, disappeared. No one has seen him since two days before we teleported here."

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><p>After our meal, we returned to the castle to continue our discussion. Resuming the same seats as before, Sharmila glanced at Avani and asked, "Shall I take over for you?"<p>

But Avani shook her head, replying, "No. Thank you, Sharmila, but I think I should tell it myself. After all, it's my story, for the most part."

Settling herself as comfortably as she could, she looked up at me apprehensively before she picked up the thread of her story. I stroked her hair to soothe her, though as I recalled where she had left off, I found it difficult to smile or to reassure her. After all, _she_ knew what lay ahead, whereas I did not.

She closed her eyes and thought for a moment before she began to speak. "As I was saying earlier… he threatened to kill Sundara if I didn't obey his instruction that I retain my virginity until our marriage. Naturally, I was horrified by his threat, and I had no doubt that he would be able to follow through, either. After all, he was twenty-eight and powerfully built, while Sundara was eighteen and was trained only for music, not fighting.

"I never told Sundara—or anyone, until now—of his threat. I couldn't bring myself to tell him, and I felt certain my father would side with… would side against us, so I didn't see any point. I… I did tell Sundara that I had to obey my father's and fiancé's wishes, and while I think he was disappointed, he didn't pressure me, either. So we continued in a strange limbo for the next two years—more than friends, but less than lovers.

"Then… then the day of our eighteenth birthday arrived. On that day, I was officially given the title of the Dragon Knight and Rishi of Dragon Priest, and our education was considered complete. My wedding was to take place three days later."

She was clearly distraught by this point, though, and choked up, unable to speak. I looked over at Arthur, who then whispered to Dylas. Dylas nodded and hurried off to the kitchen, and several minutes later returned with a tray holding several cups and a pot of the soothing herbal tea known simply as 'relax tea' that was so popular with the townsfolk. Arthur poured tea for everyone, and since Avani's hand were trembling, I carefully held the cup for her as she took a tiny sip. After drinking a little more of the hot drink, she relaxed a little and took the cup from me, murmuring her thanks to us.

We waited while she sipped her tea and composed herself. She finished her cup, then she looked at me. "Leo, would you… would you mind making a fire? I know it's a nice day, but… I feel really cold. And this next part that's coming up… it's not going to be easy for me to talk about. So if you'll all excuse me for a minute, I want Baldur. I find him… well, comforting to hold on to." Then she rose and left through her back door.

"Baldur?" Chanda asked with a scowl. "Who's _he_?"

I gave her a half smile. "That's her tame silver wolf. He's her especial pet, and he's helped her through some rough times. He's like a big living stuffed animal for her, I suppose."

Rishi smiled, a genuine smile as if born of some pleasant thought. "She's always had a way with animals. I remember when she captured a wild mountain wolf puppy and trained it to help me get around more easily, without having to depend on others. She named him Star, because she found him under a wild starfruit tree in the forest, apparently abandoned and with an injured leg. Our father was livid, but she did an incredible job—he was perfectly trained, even though she was just a small child at the time. She hadn't even begun her formal training yet—it was pure, raw, innate talent."

Avani returned just then, and the other two women gasped at the sight of the massive wolf with his gleaming, metallic silver coat and vivid cobalt blue eyes as he paced silently at her heel. He stopped at the door, pausing to sniff the air, then he swung his huge head around to gaze at the three visitors. After giving him a moment to examine the new scents, Avani brought him over to meet her guests. She solemnly introduced each of them to her pet, assuring him each time that these strangers were friends. He seemed to remain slightly guarded with both women, but, perhaps recognizing the scent of familiar blood, he immediately took to Rishi as if he'd known him all his life, wagging his tail joyfully and licking his hands and face as he whimpered and whined.

Startled by his immediate acceptance of her twin, Avani called him off and led him to the thick rug covering the tile floor before the fire. She instructed Baldur to sit, then she slowly lowered herself to sit next to him, putting her arms around his neck as she leaned against him and closed her eyes. I hesitated for a moment, then sat next to her, asking if she minded. Hesitating for only the briefest of moments, she nodded agreement. Dylas sat in the empty chair near her, and again we waited. She sighed, eyes still closed, and picked up where she had left off.

"Weddings in our tribe were terribly important, and as such, took a lot of preparation. The ceremony took two days—the first day was the marriage itself, followed by the wedding feast, then the wedding night. The second day was devoted to celebrating the marriage in general, and the consummation of the marriage in particular. Afterwards, there was no honeymoon or wedding trip of any sort—it was back to business as usual. But newlywed couples were generally excused from those duties that were shared among everyone, such as tending communal fields and fruit trees, either for the first year or until the bride became pregnant—whichever came first.

"I don't know what preparations a groom had to go through before marriage, but I found the bride's preparations to be incredibly tedious. Perhaps if I'd been marrying someone else…. My mother and other kinswomen began to prepare me on my birthday. Chanda wasn't permitted to help, even though she was my dear friend, just because of that stupid superstition. I had to beg and plead just to get permission for her to be at the wedding at all. Anyway, that first day, I was painted all over with various symbols and designs using a thick, dark paste made from some root that stained my skin. I couldn't do anything after that—I was forbidden to touch anything or even to bathe until the paste had had time to soak in and dry completely. So the next day, I essentially did nothing, just sat around feeling like an idiot while the final touches were placed on my outfit and the foods for the feast were prepared. There was even more fuss than usual, because I was the princess and because _his_ family was also very high-ranking in the tribal hierarchy.

"On the third day, I was bathed. And do I ever mean _bathed_. The same women that had painted me took me to a pool of clear water hidden away deep in the forest, fed by a small waterfall at one end, where they stripped me down and bathed and scrubbed me until I was spotless—all except for the painted symbols, that is, which didn't wash away for weeks afterwards. They scrubbed me and my hair, then made me stand under the waterfall to wash away all the soap, then they repeated the process for a total of three scrubbings and dousings. After that, they dried me and rubbed oils scented of flowers into my skin and hair. Then they braided my hair into an elaborate design, weaving in strings of pearls. All this took the entire day, and when they were finished, I was put to bed and told to rest well, with a good bit of giggling and innuendo about the following night." She shuddered at the memory and paused to bury her face in Baldur's shaggy coat, breathing deeply, then resumed her tale.

"I thought about running away. I'd rejected the idea before, because I knew that would dishonor my family—and while I didn't care about what effect it had on my father, I didn't want Rishi to suffer for my actions. And also, I knew… I knew that _he_ would just hunt me down if I ran away from him. By that night, though, I was desperate. But I discovered that my father had anticipated trouble and set a guard outside my room, just to be safe. So I was trapped.

"Morning finally dawned, and my mother fetched me from my prison. It was traditional for a bride to break her fast with only her family, as it was the last time she would still be considered a daughter of that house—after marriage, she would be the matron of another house. I have no idea what was served to me—I don't even recall if I ate, though I'm sure if I didn't, my mother would have compelled me to eat or drink something. And then the other women arrived, and I was taken away to be dressed.

"Wedding finery was generally given to a bride as a gift from her new family. My fiancé's family was both wealthy—by our standards, at least—and very conscious of both their status and mine. So my dress was ridiculous in its extravagance. My fiancé's mother had made it herself, and she was known for her sewing skills, particularly her embroidery, which was considered exquisite. She had spared no pains on my dress, which was solidly embroidered with symbols of fertility, good fortune, long life, and so on, as well as family emblems and fanciful designs.

"The actual ceremony at which I was bound to my new husband was surprisingly short, and took place only before our parents, the two elder seers, and two unrelated witnesses for both parties. The binding ceremony does not ask for, nor require, consent—or I would have objected right then and there. Instead, it's the parents of the bride and groom who do all the talking. The nearest thing to consent is that the groom must place a ring on the bride's finger—but her hand can be held out by her father against her will, I discovered.

"Afterwards, the remainder of the afternoon and evening are spent feasting and dancing and so on, really not much more than a big party. Probably the worst thing about the feast was that Sundara… Sundara was instructed to play the music. You can imagine how that felt to us… it was horrible. I couldn't even look at him, the pain was so intense.

"Then when our families decided that it was high time for us to head off and… and get down to business, the women dragged me away, this time to my new home, where we would be alone for the first time. His father had died several years before, and his mother had chosen to go live with her recently-widowed and childless sister as soon as we were married. She had already moved all her possessions, even before the wedding day.

"I was stripped down and shoved into the bed, which had been decorated with more symbols—passion flowers and pomegranates and rosehips and ripe grain were chief among them. Then, giggling, they left me alone, keeping guard until… until _he_ arrived."

She blanched then, looking ill as she paused. "Then he… then he…." She stopped, breathing hard as her pupils dilated, and clung tightly to Baldur as she buried her face in his fur.

"What is it? What happened, My Lady?" I asked, though I felt a keen sense of dread in the pit of my stomach.

Rishi choked back a sob, startling everyone, and we turned to look at him. He had tears in his eyes, and he stammered, "H-he… h-he…" but was also unable to continue.

Sharmila looked between sister and brother, her brow furrowed in distress, then she looked me in the eyes, her own filled with deep grief. In her gentle voice, she said, "He came to her on their wedding night, and…. and he raped her, Leo. She was a virgin bride, as he had demanded—and he took her, violently and without mercy."

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.


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